Regulus satrapa, Golden-crowned Kinglet



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Status: This species is a rather common breeding species in coniferous forests of moutnainous areas throughout most of the state. In winter it tends to move down to lower elevations where it occurs in small flocks in brush or pinyon-juniper woodlands. The Golden-crowned Kinglet seems to be less common than the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, but it is more secretive and less conspicuous in song so that it is more likely to be overlooked.

Records: The earliest records for the state appear to be those of Osgood, who found it at Fish Lake Park, Sevier County; Rabbit Valley, Wayne County; and in the Henry Mountains, Garfield County. His observations were made in September and October 1908. Treganza noted that they were common in the Wasatch and Uinta mountains where he located 27 nests. Nearly all the numerous collection records are for fall, winter, or early spring. Woodbury summarized collection and sight records of this species.

Subspecies: The Utah population of Golden-crowned Kinglets has been variously referred to the races olivaceus or amoenus. The AOU Check-list includes Utah within the range of R. s. amoenus named by Van Rossem. Behle used R. s. olivaceus in lists of birds from the Deep Creek Mountains, the Raft River Mountains, and the Kanab area. Later Behle referred to them as R. s. amoenus in his treatise on birds of southeastern Utah. A series of eight specimens at Brigham Young University, all taken in fall, winter, or early spring, came within the larger size range of R. s. amoenus with the exception of one specimen. It would seem that there is a need to assemble a collection of breeding as well as wintering birds to clarify the subspecific relations of the Utah populations.

Hayward, C., Cottam, C., Woodbury, A., Frost, A. Birds of Utah, Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs, Number 1, Pages 151-152 Brigham Young University, 1976.