KINGLET

any of about four species of birds of the genus Regulus, of the songbird family Sylviidae; some consider them a separate subfamily, Regulinae. These round-bodied, short-billed little birds are usually found in coniferous woodlands. They make a high-hanging nest of moss, bound with cobweb, so small that the 5 to 10 eggs may lie in two layers. Kinglets are about 9 cm (3.5 inches) long, with greenish gray body plumage and bright crown marks. The golden-crowned kinglet (R. satrapa) of North America is often considered the same species as the goldcrest (R. regulus) of Eurasia; both have the crown patchred in males, yellow in femalesstrikingly bordered with black. The firecrest (R. ignicapillus) of Europe resembles the goldcrest but has a white eyeline; and the yellow-rumped kinglet (R. goodfellowi) of Taiwan is sometimes considered a subspecies of the firecrest. In the ruby-crowned kinglet (R. calendula) of North America, the crown mark is a mere tick of red, worn by the male only and usually concealed.