PHOTO LIBRARY

Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

common   fairly common   uncommon   rare   occasional   no records

 

QUICK TIPS: 1) Check the crown - females generally have a yellow crown, while males have an orange centre amid the yellow crown patch; note that it may be well concealed, and that individuals with just a few orange feathers may be HY/SY males or AHY/ASY females. 2) Look at the alula - on many HY/SY birds it is brown and faded, while on AHY/ASY birds it is dusky and uniform in colour with other coverts. 3) Check the shape of the outer rectrices - on HY/SY birds they are narrow and pointed, while on AHY/ASY birds they tend to be more broad and rounded; however, there are many intermediates that are difficult to classify Note that especially in spring, many individuals may be difficult to age reliably

January - July:

ASY - M Orange-red centre to the crown, uniformly adult coverts including the alula, broad and truncate tail. ASY - F Lack of orange-red in the crown, uniformly adult coverts including the alula, broad and truncate tail.       SY - M Orange-red centre to the crown, pale brown alula and narrow primary coverts, relatively narrow and tapered tail. SY - F Lack of orange-red in the crown, pale brown alula and narrow primary coverts, relatively narrow and tapered tail.

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June - December:

AHY - M Orange-red centre to the crown, uniformly adult coverts including the alula, broad and truncate tail. AHY - F Lack of orange-red in the crown, uniformly adult coverts including the alula, broad and truncate tail.  HY - M Orange-red centre to the crown, pale brown alula and narrow primary coverts, relatively narrow and tapered tail. HY - F Lack of orange-red in the crown, pale brown alula and narrow primary coverts, relatively narrow and tapered tail.

Males are easily distinguished from females by having an orange-red centre to the crown.  Caution: these feathers can be hidden by surrounding yellow crown feathers.  Blow gently on crown to expose red or red-orange crown feathers.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2006

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Indistinct moult limits occasionally occur in the median and greater coverts.  Retained outer coverts are worn and brownish with indistinct dingy-whitish tips.  These should contrast with the fresher, distinctly white-tipped inner coverts.  The outer primary coverts are narrow, tapered and brownish with indistinct or no olive edging.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2006
 

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SY birds have not yet moulted their tails, so look for thin, pointed rectrices.  Note, however, that ASY birds may have rather worn tails by spring, and therefore tail condition should be always assessed in combination with wing moult, and some individuals may have to be labeled AHY if the characteristics are not distinct.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, April 2006

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

Females do not have any orange-red feathers in the crown. 

 

Males are easily distinguished from females by having an orange-red centre to the crown.  Caution: these feathers can be hidden by surrounding olive crown feathers.  Blow gently on crown to expose red or red-orange crown feathers.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, September 2005
 

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The greater coverts are uniformly adult and dusky with fresh green edging and distinct white tips.   The primary coverts are broad, truncate, relatively fresh and dusky with distinct greenish edging.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, September 2005
 

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The rectrices are broad and truncate, but may have a point at the end of each feather shaft. 

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, September 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

Males are easily distinguished from females by having an orange-red centre to the crown.  Caution: these feathers can be hidden by surrounding olive crown feathers.  Blow gently on crown to expose red or red-orange crown feathers.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, September 2005
 

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The 1^st prebasic moult includes 0-3 inner greater coverts, so look for the moult limit in HY birds.  This limit may be hard to detect even if present. Retained outer coverts become worn and brownish with indistinct dingy-whitish tips.  These should contrast with the fresher, distinctly white-tipped inner coverts.  The primary coverts are narrow, tapered and brownish, often with indistinct or no olive edging.  The greater alula is often pale brown, contrasting noticeably with the adjacent coverts.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, September 2005
 

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HY birds will only moult their tails the following summer, so look for thin, pointed rectrices.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, September 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

Females do not have any orange-red feathers in the crown. 

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, October 2005
 

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The 1^st prebasic moult includes 0-3 inner greater coverts, so look for the moult limit in HY birds.  This limit may be hard to detect even if present. Retained outer coverts become worn and brownish with indistinct dingy-whitish tips.  These should contrast with the fresher, distinctly white-tipped inner coverts.  The primary coverts are narrow, tapered and brownish, often with indistinct or no olive edging.  The greater alula is often pale brown, contrasting noticeably with the adjacent coverts. 

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, October 2005
 

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HY birds will only moult their tails the following summer, so look for thin, pointed rectrices.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, October 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW