Golden-crowned Kinglet - Regulus satrapa

Golden-crowned Kinglet has a partial preformative molt, but no prealternate molts. This species can be relatively difficult to age, as age-related differences in wing and tail patterns are often subtle; especially by spring, when a fair number of intermediates cannot be reliably aged and are best considered M-FCF (AHY), unless wing and tail cues clearly agree on a particular age. Individuals showing a distinct orange crown stripe are easily recognized as males, but this feature is often concealed and females should be identified with greater caution.

Quick tips

• Examine the crown - males have an orange crown stripe but it can be well concealed.
• Check the shape of the outer rectrices - on FCF (HY/SY) birds they are narrow and pointed, while on DCB (AHY/ASY) birds they tend to be more broad and rounded; however, there are many intermediates that are difficult to classify.
• Look at the primary coverts - on many FCF (HY/SY) birds they are narrow and pointed (with minimal green edging remaining by spring), while on DCB (AHY/ASY) birds they tend to be more broad and rounded (with distinct green edging retained through spring).
• Examine the inner greater coverts - on a minority of FCF (HY/SY) birds up to four feathers are replaced and are slightly longer and darker than the adjacent older feathers, but uniform greater coverts can be seen at all ages.

Species account prepared by McGill Bird Observatory (2018). Last updated by Marcel Gahbauer (Mar 2022)