PHOTO LIBRARY

Ruby-crowned Kinglet / Roitelet à couronne rubis (Regulus calendula)

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 lack a ruby crown, while males have a ruby crown patch, but note that it may be well concealed; individuals with just a few ruby-tipped 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 Species account updated April 2009

January - July:

ASY - M Ruby crown, uniformly adult coverts including the alula, broad and truncate tail. ASY - F Generally lacking red in the crown, uniformly adult coverts including the alula, broad and truncate tail. SY - M Ruby crown, pale brown alula and narrow primary coverts, relatively narrow and tapered tail. SY - F Lacking any red in the crown, pale brown alula and narrow primary coverts, relatively narrow and tapered tail.

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July - December:

AHY - M Ruby crown, uniformly adult coverts including the alula, broad and truncate tail. AHY - F Generally lacking red in the crown, uniformly adult coverts including the alula, broad and truncate tail. HY - M Ruby crown, pale brown alula and narrow primary coverts, relatively narrow and tapered tail. HY - F Lacking any red in the crown, pale brown alula and narrow primary coverts, relatively narrow and tapered tail.

SY males are easily distinguished from SY females by their large ruby or red-orange crown.  Caution: the crown can be hidden by surrounding olive crown feathers.  Blow gently on crown to expose red or red-orange crown feathers. 

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2006

 Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), April 2008

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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 Manon Dubé, Banff National Park (AB), June 2007

Photo by Manon Dubé, Banff National Park (AB), June 2007

Photo by Manon Dubé, Banff National Park (AB), June 2007
 

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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 Manon Dubé, Banff National Park (AB), June 2007

Photo by Manon Dubé, Banff National Park (AB), June 2007

Photo by Manon Dubé, Banff National Park (AB), June 2007

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Females have olive crowns without red or red-orange feathers.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2008
 

AHY males are easily distinguished from AHY females by their large ruby or red-orange crown.  Caution: the crown can be hidden by surrounding olive crown feathers.  Blow gently on crown to expose red or red-orange crown feathers. 

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2005

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2007
 

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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 Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2007

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), 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 Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2007

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2005

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HY males can usually be distinguished from females by red or red-orange feathers on crown.  Caution: the crown can be hidden by surrounding olive crown feathers.  Blow gently on crown to expose red crown feathers. Caution: juvenile males lack red crown feathers.  Verify sex by ageing the bird first (AHY female vs juvenile male).

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2005
 

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The preformative 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, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), 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, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

Females have olive crowns without ruby feathers. 

 Photo by James Junda, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2008

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The preformative 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 James Junda, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2008

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

 Photo by James Junda, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2008

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW