Is this some kind of warbler?

8 years ago

This bird was spotted in Michigan on October 17, 2017, about 1:00 p.m. in thickets along a meadow, there is a marshy area nearby. It is shaped like a warbler but I can't seem to find anything to match it. It has yellow on the wings and side tail feathers, there may also be some faint yellow in the belly area. It was difficult to get a good photo because of background lighting.

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whwo

8 years ago

It is a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

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Comments (7)

ilovecomputers
8 years ago
Looks like a female goldfinch to me.
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westmichiganflorafau
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I think I do see a tiny hint of red at the top of the head, my bird book didn't give any hint of yellow in wings and tail but an online photo search shows it almost all the time, plus most sources state that a visible red crown is not seen very often, another thing that makes this a difficult ID - thanks again.

An interesting note - the range map here

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Regulus_calendula_range.png

does not show Michigan, southern lower MI especially, to be in its range at all, not Year round, Summer(breeding), or Winter(nonbreeding).
whwo
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
It probably doesn't show up on a range map for MI because it is a migrant through your area. Also, females have no red on the head and as you mentioned, even on males, the red patch can be obscured if the bird doesn't have its crown feathers raised. About a week ago, they were coming through my yard in good numbers in eastern WA.
westmichiganflorafau thanked whwo
Tree Walker
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Definitely a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet. It is exciting to see a bird out of its range. Congrats.

If you see a tiny hint of red, it is a male. That is the most of the "ruby crown" that is visible if his head feathers are not raised.
westmichiganflorafau thanked Tree Walker
westmichiganflorafau
Original Author
8 years ago
Yes, there is a tiny speck of red just visible in one of the pix. This is a 1st for me, and being that it is out of range makes it even more of a special sighting.
ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
8 years ago
I have only seen the red crown once, the little guy didn't really seem to care how close I got he kust kept doing his thing, but he was really into showing off his head feathers. On no other occasion have I seen them display like that. Of course I was at work and didn't have a camera!

According to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, RCK's breed in the UP of Michigan, and all across the Canadian provinces just across the Great Lakes while they winter in the southern 1/3 of North America. I'll bet they migrate through your area between the two, but in a lot of cases, migration routes and habits are poorly understood and so they are not included in the range maps.

Nevertheless, they are cool, spunky little birds that you should be excited to find! I don't see them all too often, but they are a real treat whenever I do!

Link to Cornell's Ruby Crowned Kinglet page: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-crowned_Kinglet/id