birds. The adults have colored crowns, giving rise to their name. Ruby-crowned kinglet, Corthylio calendula Golden-crowned kinglet, Regulus satrapa Waxwings Order: PasseriformesFamily: Bombycillidae The waxwings are a group of birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. In the Bohemian and cedar waxwings, these tips look like sealing wax and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter. Bohemian waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus (A) Cedar waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum Silky-flycatchers Order: PasseriformesFamily: Ptiliogonatidae The silky-flycatchers are a small family of passerine birds which occur mainly in Central America, although the range of one species extends to central California. They are related to waxwings and like that group, have soft silky plumage, usually gray or pale-yellow. They have small crests. Phainopepla, Phainopepla nitens (H) (A) Nuthatches Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sittidae Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have the unusual ability to climb down trees head first, unlike other birds which can only go upwards. Nuthatches have big heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet. Red-breasted nuthatch, Sitta canadensis White-breasted nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis Pygmy nuthatch, Sitta pygmaea Brown-headed nuthatch, Sitta pusilla Treecreepers Order: PasseriformesFamily: Certhiidae Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin pointed down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which they use to support themselves on vertical trees. Brown creeper, Certhia americana Gnatcatchers Order: PasseriformesFamily: Polioptilidae These dainty birds resemble Old World warblers in their structure and habits, moving restlessly through the foliage seeking insects. The gnatcatchers are mainly soft bluish gray in color and have the typical insectivore's long sharp bill. Many species have distinctive black head patterns (especially males) and long, regularly cocked, black-and-white tails. Blue-gray gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea Wrens Order: PasseriformesFamily: Troglodytidae Wrens are small and inconspicuous birds, except for their loud songs. They have short wings and thin down-turned bills. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous. Rock wren, Salpinctes obsoletus (A) Canyon wren, Catherpes mexicanus House wren, Troglodytes aedon Winter wren, Troglodytes hiemalis Sedge wren, Cistothorus platensis Marsh wren, Cistothorus palustris Carolina wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus Bewick's wren, Thryomanes bewickii Mockingbirds and thrashers Order: PasseriformesFamily: Mimidae The mimids are a family of passerine birds which includes thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, and the New World catbirds. These birds are notable for