Brown Booby vs Ruby-crowned Kinglet

In short

The Brown Booby and Ruby-crowned Kinglet are vastly different in appearance and habitat, making them easy to distinguish. The Brown Booby is a large seabird with a dark brown body and white underparts, while the Ruby-crowned Kinglet is a small songbird with olive-green plumage and a distinctive white eye-ring.

Identification tips

1. Size: Brown Booby is much larger than Ruby-crowned Kinglet. 2. Plumage: Look for the Brown Booby's dark brown and white contrast versus the Kinglet's olive-green and white wing-bars. 3. Habitat: Consider the environment; Brown Boobies are coastal, while Kinglets are found in forests. 4. Behavior: Observe feeding behavior; Brown Boobies dive for fish, Kinglets flick wings while foraging.

Size

The Brown Booby is significantly larger, with a wingspan of over 1 meter, compared to the tiny Ruby-crowned Kinglet, which is about 10 cm in length.

Plumage

Brown Boobies have a dark brown body with contrasting white underparts. Ruby-crowned Kinglets are olive-green with two white wing-bars and a white eye-ring. Males have a hidden scarlet crown patch.

Behaviour

Brown Boobies are known for their plunge-diving behavior to catch fish, while Ruby-crowned Kinglets are active foragers, often flicking their wings.

Habitat

Brown Boobies inhabit coastal and oceanic environments, often nesting on islands. Ruby-crowned Kinglets breed in northern spruce-fir forests and migrate to various wooded habitats.

Voice

Brown Boobies are generally silent, while Ruby-crowned Kinglets have a high-pitched, complex song and frequent calls.