Golden-crowned Kinglet; Winter bird in Northern Illinois

Ice creating a Jack-Frost type of texture on a small creek in Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserve, Rockford, IL; 2/19/2011.

Another bird that spends its winters in Northern Illinois is the Golden-crowned Kinglet (Below) which I saw at the Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserve last October.

The golden crown of the Golden-crowned Kinglet is very visible in this pic, Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserve, Rockford, IL; 10/3/10.

Golden-crowned Kinglets winter in much of the U.S. save for the Northern plains states of the Dakotas, and the eastern halves of Montana and Wyoming and the western half of Nebraska. It will spend its summers mostly across Canada, but can be found year round in the Northeast States, along the Appalachians, and in the Rockies and North Pacific Coastlines.

Golden-crowned Kinglets are a very cute little bird growing only to about 4" in length. They like to hang around mature conifers, especially Spruce trees. They have very distinct coloring on their heads, sporting black and white stripes across their face and a very bright gold crown which can be raised into a crest. The rest of their bodies is generally drab gayish and greenish, lighter below. Their wings have bolder black and greenish edges with a single white stripe.

A BIF shot of a Golden-crowned Kinglet; Blackhawk Springs Forest Preserve, Rockford, IL; 10-3-10.