Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

More Precious than Rubies?

Ruby-crowned Kinglets are the hidden royals. The males, who have the ruby mohawk of a crown, only show them for love and war.Regulus calendula, means little king, glowing — with that ruby crown. They are very territorial; I once watched one charge his own reflection repeatedly. His ruby was definitely showing.
This is a tiny bird: they weigh from 0.2 – 0.3 oz, or 5-10 grams. But, they can have clutches of up to twelve eggs, equalling the weight of the mother.
They hunt for bugs, fruits, seeds, flicking their wings constantly as they move with near-ceaseless motion.

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