The golden-crowned kinglet returns to the arboretum every year to spend the fall and winter months. I notice them traveling around in mixed flocks with chickadees, nuthatches, bushtits, ruby-crowned kinglets, and brown creepers.
The males have a yellow-orange crown patch and the females only have a yellow stripe. During the breeding season, the male will flare his orange patch when chasing off male intruders in his territory.
In my experience, the male’s orange patch appears fairly subtle. Occasionally I see one slightly flare it as he seems to be chasing another male. Since it isn’t breeding season, maybe he is just practicing for when the real moment arrives. This “territorial” urge seems to pass fairly quickly, and they soon return to merrily flitting through the canopy, foraging together and whistling their sweet little calls.
This bird quickly zips and zings around in all directions through the landscape. Thus, it isn’t the easiest bird to follow, observe or attempt to capture in a photo. I am grateful to have it here as a seasonal resident, and I’ll keep watching and learning.
