How to attract ruby-crowned kinglets to your yard
Ruby-crowned Kinglets respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 40 states and provinces.
First: is it in your area, and when?
You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. It arrives only to breed in 23, such as Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Idaho and 17 more, so set up before spring arrival. It is a winter visitor in 17, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia and 11 more, where feeders and winter fruit matter most.
Plant what ruby-crowned kinglets use
These native plants are tied to the Ruby-crowned Kinglet in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.
| Plant | Type | States | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| American elderberry Sambucus canadensis | Shrub | 22 | Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species. |
| Black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 21 | Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees. |
| Chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Shrub | 20 | Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load. |
| Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea | Tree | 19 | Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed. |
| Eastern red cedar Juniperus virginiana | Tree | 17 | Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter. |
| White oak Quercus alba | Tree | 17 | Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food. |
| Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum | Shrub | 16 | Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover. |
| Flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 16 | Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers. |
| Tall goldenrod Solidago altissima | Perennial | 16 | Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter. |
| Paper birch Betula papyrifera | Tree | 15 | Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter. |
Your list covers 3 plant layers (shrub, tree, perennial). Layering matters: mixing shrub, tree, perennial gives ruby-crowned kinglets food, perches and cover at different heights. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.
Offer the food it actually eats
Tiny insects and eggs; suet and fruit in winter.
- Warm months
- Aphids, gnats, spiders and insect eggs
- Cold months
- Suet, suet dough and tiny seeds
- At feeders
- Suet, Suet nuggets, Mealworms
Feeder style matters as much as food: suet cage or tail-prop suet feeder is the first choice for this bird. Winters in the south and visits suet feeders, hover-gleaning at branch tips between visits. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Hanging cup high in a spruce or fir.
It does not use nest boxes, so the way to host a nest is cover: keep dense native shrubs, vines or trees of the kind listed above, and avoid pruning them during the nesting season.
- Clutch
- 4–14 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–14 days
- Nestling period
- 12–19 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around April in California but not until June in Yukon. Don't trim shrubs or clean boxes during those months.
Water, safety and patience
- A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
- Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
- Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
- Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; a summer breeder won't appear until it returns in spring.
Frequently asked
What attracts ruby-crowned kinglets to a yard?
Food they actually eat (suet, suet nuggets, mealworms), native plants such as American elderberry, Black cherry, Chokecherry, clean water and suitable nesting cover: hanging cup high in a spruce or fir.
What plants attract ruby-crowned kinglets?
Across the Ruby-crowned Kinglet's range, the native plants most often tied to it are American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), Black cherry (Prunus serotina), Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting ruby-crowned kinglets?
Nesting starts around April in California and as late as June in Yukon. Have cover, water ready a month before.
Sources
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.