For a Golden-crowned Kinglet, migration is tiring!
It's a mild day in early October. As I stroll around the yard, I see something unusual. A small bird, the size of a cupcake is clinging to the side of a large Silver Maple. The unusual thing is, this bird also looks like a cupcake, with a dollop of yellow and red frosting right on it's head. While keeping my distance, I was able to record its behavior. It doesn't seem bothered by me being nearby. I've never seen a bird like this in my yard before, so I had to do some sleuthing. I found that the bird was an adult male Golden-crowned Kinglet . Apparently these little birds cannot go a few hours without food or it will starve. This may be why they are more focused on foraging than flying! This little guy was probably tired from migrating, and needed a snack. The golden-crowned kinglet forages actively in trees or shrubs, mainly eating insects, insect eggs and spiders. It produces a series of high-pitched calls on a single no...
