As the fall bird migration begins subtly, two birds will again be making their appearances in the Times News area. Ruby-crowned kinglets and then golden-crowned kinglets will arrive. These birds are easily overlooked because they are really not very vocal and they are small. A house wren weighs 0.42 ounce. The golden crowned kinglet weighs half of that, at 0.19 of an ounce. That, by the way, is about the weight of two pennies.

Both of the kinglet species nest and breed in Canada. The golden-crowned kinglet’s breeding range extends into New York’s Adirondacks, and a few may be nesting in the northern tier of Pennsylvania. Some of the golden-crowned remain in Canada for winter, but most venture farther south. They need to eat their weight in food each day to be able to fuel that tiny body and to withstand temperatures sometimes as low as minus 30 degrees F. They feed on tiny insects or spiders in the summer and in winter they search for insect eggs or “bugs” overwintering in bark or among pine needles. They feed and move about almost constantly, often hovering hummingbird-like to pluck something from among the pine needles.

The female nests twice in the summer, sometimes with eight eggs in each. The male feeds her on the nest and the young. She, two days after the young leave the nest, starts a new nest while the male continues to feed the young for a few weeks after they fledge. They prefer spruce forests to breed, and when they winter in our area, prefer conifer stands as well. They will arrive here late August or September and remain here until about early April.

Ruby-crowned kinglets also breed and nest in the same regions. However, they do not overwinter in Pennsylvania. They’ll arrive in the Times News area’s woodlands in the next week or two. About the time most of the leaves have changed colors (mid-October) they’ll be gone, heading farther south. Look for them again arriving here in mid to late April as they make the trek north to their breeding areas. They can be seen for about six weeks in spring.

While here, and in their nesting areas, they feed primarily on small insects, insect eggs or spiders. They are “hyperactive” little birds, seldom sitting still very long on a leaf or branch. Both the ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglets make it a challenge to those just getting used to their binoculars. Hopefully my photos will help you with that.

One note though, I have seen hundreds, if not thousands, of ruby-crowned kinglets. But I have only observed the “ruby” crown on a couple of dozen birds. They raise their hackles when agitated or competing with another male. Don’t rely on the crown as your chief identifying factor.

Not that I’m trying to rush the seasons, look for the kinglets feeding among the migrating warblers, vireos and flycatchers. Remember, time on task. The more you’re outside in nature, the more you will see.

Test Your Outdoor Knowledge: Which of these birds has the most nests each summer? A. robin, B. barn swallow, C. mourning dove, D. house wren.

Last Week’s Trivia Answer: The pigeons that you see in cities, towns or under bridges are correctly called rock doves.

Contact Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com.