Does this bird look familiar to you? It’s often mistaken for a sparrow, finch, or warbler. Other than hummingbirds, it’s the smallest bird in the west and south. It’s a ruby-crowned kinglet–but wait, where’s the crown? It’s rarely seen, even in mating season. I’ve seen hundreds of the very active, fast-flying little birds and I’ve never seen the crown. Their flight has a dipping movement to it similar to the flight pattern of finches, but more erratic. “Kinglet” means “little king,” and you can see why the bird is called that:
