Bird Guide

Common Firecrest vs Golden-crowned Kinglet

Common Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla)

Common Firecrest

Regulus ignicapilla

Tiny6 gForest

The common firecrest is a small plump bird, 9 cm (3.5 in) in length with a wingspan of 13–16 cm (5.1–6.3 in), and weighs 4–7 grams (0.14–0.25 oz). It has bright olive-green upperparts with a bronze-coloured patch on each shoulder, and whitish underparts washed with brownish-grey on the breast and flanks. It has two white wingbars, a tiny black pointed bill, and brownish-black legs. The head pattern is striking, with a black eye stripe, long white supercilium, and a crest which is bright yellow in the female and mainly orange in the male. Voice: The contact call is three or four thin high notes, similar to that of goldcrest, but slightly lower in pitch, zit-zit-zit rather than see-see-see. The song is a succession of call notes in a longer and slightly more varied sequence.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Philippe_Grange · CC0
Photo: Alexis Lours · CC BY 4.0
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Regulus satrapa

Tiny6 gForest

Adults are olive-gray on the upperparts with white underparts, thin bills and short tails. They have white wing bars, a black stripe through the eyes and a yellow crown surrounded by black. The adult male has an orange patch in the middle of the yellow crown. The juvenile is similar to the adult, but with a browner back and without the yellow crown. This is one of the smallest passerines in North America. Its length, at 8 to 11 cm (3.1 to 4.3 in), is probably the shortest of any American passerine. Its weight, averaging 6.1 g (0.22 oz) for females and 6.3 g (0.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Doug Hynes · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: GlacierNPS · Public domain

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Common Firecrest and Golden-crowned Kinglet.