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Difference between revisions of "Common Firecrest" - BirdForum Opus

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[[Image:Fire15.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Subspecies ''ignicapilla''<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Kevin+Wade|Kevin Wade}}<br />Marbella, [[Spain]], 24 April 2019]]
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;Regulus ignicapilla
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;[[:Category:Regulus|Regulus]] ignicapilla
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[[Image:Firecrest.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by rayh]]
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''Regulus ignicapillus''<br />
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==Identification==
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[[Image:Firecrest mallorca.jpg|thumb|350px|right|ssp. ''balearica''<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|IanF|IanF}}<br/>Costa de los Pinos, [[Mallorca]] [[Spain]], September 2006]]
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Length 9 cm (3½ in), weight 5-7 g<br />
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*Red (male) or orange-red (female) crown with black borders
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*Gold forehead
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*White [[Topography#Heads|supercilium]]
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*Black eye-stripe
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*Bronzy patch on shoulder
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*Bright olive-grey back
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*Whitish underparts
  
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==Identification==
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Juvenile similar to adults but without the red crown or black crown border.
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====Similar Species====
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[[Goldcrest]] lacks the black and white head pattern, and is duller green above, less white below.
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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Patchy and discontinuous range in Europe breeding from Brittany, east across Europe, including Denmark, to about 300E in Russia. In the south breeds in the northern half of Iberia and extreme south of Spain, central and southern France, Italy and parts of the Balkans and Greece. Also breeds on Madeira, Mallorca, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily and Crete, in North-West Africa and parts of northern Turkey and the Caucasus. Very small numbers breed in Britain, mainly in southern England and the New Forest in particular.  
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Patchy and discontinuous range in [[Europe]] breeding from [[Brittany]], east across [[Europe]], north to southern [[England]] and southern [[Denmark]], to about 30 degrees east in [[Ukraine]].
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In the south breeds in the northern half of Iberia and south of [[Spain]], central and southern [[France]], [[Italy]] and parts of the Balkans and [[Greece]], and locally around the [[Black Sea]] in parts of northern [[Turkey]] and the Caucasus.
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Also breeds on [[Mallorca]], [[Corsica]], [[Sardinia]], [[Sicily]], Crete, and locally in northwest [[Africa]].
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Very small numbers breed in Britain, mainly in southern [[England]] and the [[New Forest]] in particular; elsewhere in Britain a scarce [[Dictionary_P-S#P|passage migrant]], particularly on the east coast.
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Northern and eastern populations are migratory wintering in western [[Europe]] and around the Mediterranean, birds from remainder of range are largely resident.
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Recorded as a vagrant in [[Finland]].
  
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Northern and eastern populations are migratory wintering in western Europe and around the Mediterranean, birds from remainder of range are largely resident.     
 
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Recorded as a vagrant in Finland.<P>SUBSPECIES  Nominate race occurs over most of range, replaced by greyer-plumaged balearicus and in Mallorca and North Africa, madeirensis from Madeira is longer-billed with duller crown stripe and shorter supercilium
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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[[Madeira Firecrest]] ''Regulus madeirensis'' has recently been split as a separate species.
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===Subspecies===
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There are two to four subspeces<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup><sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#References|[3]]]</sup>:
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*''R. i. ignicapilla'':
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:*[[England]] and western [[Europe]] to Mediterranean and [[Asia Minor]]
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*''R. i. caucasicus'': brighter, with golden neck patch (not considered distinct by some authorities<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>)
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:*Western Caucasus
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*''R. i. tauricus'': duller and darker (not considered distinct by some authorities<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>)
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:*Crimea
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*''R. i. balearicus'': has greyer plumage
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:*[[Balearic Islands]] and North [[Africa]] ([[Morocco]] to northern [[Tunisia]])
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==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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Breeds in deciduous, mixed and coniferous forest, also evergreen oak and tree-heath around the Mediterranean.
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Breeds in deciduous, mixed and coniferous forest, also evergreen oak and tree-heath around the Mediterranean. Generally lower to the ground than Goldcrest, often in scrub, thickets and swampy areas.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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Similar to [[Goldcrest]], but tends to be a little more mobile, moving faster through shrubs and trees when feeding.
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====Flight====
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Undulating flight. Often hovers when feeding in the tree canopy.
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====Diet====
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The diet consists mainly of small insects and spiders.
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====Breeding====
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The nest is suspended under a conifer or other evergreen branch.
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====Vocalisation====
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Slightly lower pitched than Goldcrest, with a sharper, more incisive sound to some ears. Song lacks the high, pulsating quality that Goldcrest has.
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug21}}#{{Ref-GillDonskerRasmussen21V11.2}}#{{Ref-HBWVol11}}#Collins Field Guide 5th Edition ISBN 0 00 219900 9
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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{{GSearch|Regulus+ignicapilla}}  
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{{GSearch|"Regulus ignicapilla" {{!}} "Regulus ignicapillus" {{!}} "Firecrest" }}  
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[[Category:Birds]]
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{{GS-checked}}1
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<br />
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<br />
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Regulus]]

Latest revision as of 11:12, 9 September 2023

Subspecies ignicapilla
Photo © by Kevin Wade
Marbella, Spain, 24 April 2019
Regulus ignicapilla

Regulus ignicapillus

Identification

ssp. balearica
Photo © by IanF
Costa de los Pinos, Mallorca Spain, September 2006

Length 9 cm (3½ in), weight 5-7 g

  • Red (male) or orange-red (female) crown with black borders
  • Gold forehead
  • White supercilium
  • Black eye-stripe
  • Bronzy patch on shoulder
  • Bright olive-grey back
  • Whitish underparts

Juvenile similar to adults but without the red crown or black crown border.

Similar Species

Goldcrest lacks the black and white head pattern, and is duller green above, less white below.

Distribution

Patchy and discontinuous range in Europe breeding from Brittany, east across Europe, north to southern England and southern Denmark, to about 30 degrees east in Ukraine.

In the south breeds in the northern half of Iberia and south of Spain, central and southern France, Italy and parts of the Balkans and Greece, and locally around the Black Sea in parts of northern Turkey and the Caucasus.

Also breeds on Mallorca, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Crete, and locally in northwest Africa.

Very small numbers breed in Britain, mainly in southern England and the New Forest in particular; elsewhere in Britain a scarce passage migrant, particularly on the east coast.

Northern and eastern populations are migratory wintering in western Europe and around the Mediterranean, birds from remainder of range are largely resident.

Recorded as a vagrant in Finland.

Taxonomy

Madeira Firecrest Regulus madeirensis has recently been split as a separate species.

Subspecies

There are two to four subspeces[1][2][3]:

  • R. i. ignicapilla:
  • R. i. caucasicus: brighter, with golden neck patch (not considered distinct by some authorities[1])
  • Western Caucasus
  • R. i. tauricus: duller and darker (not considered distinct by some authorities[1])
  • Crimea
  • R. i. balearicus: has greyer plumage

Habitat

Breeds in deciduous, mixed and coniferous forest, also evergreen oak and tree-heath around the Mediterranean. Generally lower to the ground than Goldcrest, often in scrub, thickets and swampy areas.

Behaviour

Similar to Goldcrest, but tends to be a little more mobile, moving faster through shrubs and trees when feeding.

Flight

Undulating flight. Often hovers when feeding in the tree canopy.

Diet

The diet consists mainly of small insects and spiders.

Breeding

The nest is suspended under a conifer or other evergreen branch.

Vocalisation

Slightly lower pitched than Goldcrest, with a sharper, more incisive sound to some ears. Song lacks the high, pulsating quality that Goldcrest has.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2021. IOC World Bird List (v 11.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.11.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
  3. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and D Christie, eds. 2006. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 11: Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553064
  4. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition ISBN 0 00 219900 9

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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