Birds and windows don't mix

October 28, 2012 9:09 AM

Calling fellow MeFi birders! What is this little fellow that hit my window?

This afternoon, I heard this *plonk* against one of my windows. Being the time of the year when birds have a habit of hitting my windows, I knew immediately what happened. I always make sure the little guys are ok...they're usually just stunned for awhile.

I'm having a hard time, though, identifying this one. It's not one of the usual sparrows, juncos, goldfinches, robins, etc. that normally kamikaze my windows.

Here's as good a close-up as I could take with my wife's phone.

The closest I could figure with my trusty Peterson's is a female Golden-Crowned Kinglet. I'm pretty confident with this, but her gold stripe isn't as large as examples I've seen, and her face markings aren't as pronounced.

Any other possibilities? This is in east-central Indiana. Luke would like to know, too. The visitor was the highlight of his day.

So you don't worry, our little friend sat motionless for a good 15 minutes or so, while her systems rebooted. She, then, zipped away, much to Luke's disappointment.

posted by Thorzdad to pets & animals (4 answers total)

Seems to be a fair bit of variation in this image search.
posted by bonobothegreat at 9:20 AM on October 28, 2012

Goldcrest?
posted by Catseye at 9:20 AM on October 28, 2012

I think you're right. Golden-crowned Kinglets are super tiny, so that would be another key to i.d.
(Goldcrests are pretty much like the European version of these guys, but we don't have Goldcrests in the U.S.)
posted by primalux at 9:22 AM on October 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

Yep, looks like a Golden Crowned Kinglet to me! Hope the little guy is ok!

Here's a page about them
posted by Salvor Hardin at 9:32 AM on October 28, 2012