Regulus satrapa

Formerly in family Muscicapidae; returned to Regulidae by AOU (1997). See Banks and Browning (1995) for brief comments on generic nomenclature.

Widespread and common.

BREEDING: southern Alaska to Newfoundland, south to central California, southern Utah, southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, southern Manitoba, northern Wisconsin, northern Ohio, New York, in mountains to eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, northern Maryland, northern New Jersey, and southern Maine; also in highlands through Mexico to western Guatemala; isolated populations in South Dakota, Illinois, and Indiana (Ingold and Galati 1997, AOU 1998). NON-BREEDING: south-coastal Alaska and southern Canada south to northern Baja California, southwestern U.S., Guatemala, central Tamaulipas, Gulf Coast, and Florida (AOU 1998).

Widespread and range is expanding.

Northern part of range may be limited by severe winters. Up to 100 percent mortality estimated locally during severe storms (Ingold and Galati 1997). HABITAT: Habitat changes such as forest thinning, lumber activities, and spruce die-off may reduce local populations. Breeding densities also known to decline in burned and logged areas, habitats with open canopies, hardwood forests, and pure stands of eastern hemlock (TSUGA MERTENSIANA) and lodgepole pine (PINUS CONTORTA). Probably has benefited from spruce reforestation in the eastern United States. No information available about the effects of tropical deforestation (Ingold and Galati 1997). PARASITISM: Uncommon host to brown-headed cowbird (MOLOTHRUS ATER). Have been known to feed young cowbirds; male may chase cowbird from territory (Ingold and Galati 1997).