Goldcrest - BirdForum Opus

Photo by Andy Bright

Regulus regulus

Identification

9cm
Adult

• Yellowy-green upperparts
• Wings have two white wing bars and a dark mark
• Whitish-buff underparts
• Head: black border to orange crown (male) yellow-orange crown in female
• Thin black bill
• Brown legs

Similar Species

Firecrest has a white supercillium and black eyestripe.
The tiny size and lack of supercillium distinguishes it from all other small green warblers.

Distribution

Widespread throughout Europe, North Africa and Asia

Taxonomy

Subspecies^[1]

• R. r. regulus (anglorum, interni):

• Europe to Asia Minor and western Siberia; winters to Mediterranean

• R. r. azoricus :

• Azores (São Miguel Island

• R. r. sanctaemariae:

• Azores (Santa Maria Island)

• R. r. inermis:

• Western Azores (Flores, Faial, Pico, São Jorge and Terciera)

• R. r. buturlini:

• Crimea, Caucasus and Azerbaijan; winters to northern Iran

• R. r. hyrcanus:

• Eastern Turkey (Elburz Mountains) to northern Iran (southern Caspian District)

• R. r. coatsi:

• Western Siberia to Altai Mountains; winters to southern Nan Shan Mountains

• R. r. tristis:

• Mountains of central Asia; winters to Transcaspia and western Iran

• R. r. himalayensis:

• Himalayas of Afghanistan to Pakistan and Nepal

• R. r. sikkimensis:

• Himalayas of Nepal to south-eastern Tibet and western China

• R. r. japonensis:

• Mountains of Manchuria to northern and eastern China, Korea and Japan

• R. r. yunnanensis:

• Mountains of western China (southern Gansu and Shaanxi to Sichuan and Yunnan)

Habitat

Woods and large gardens with scattered trees. Prefers conifers for breeding. Can be found in gorse on heaths outside of the breeding season.

Behaviour

Joins mixed tit flocks in the winter.

Flight

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

Diet

The diet consists mainly of insects.

Breeding

The nest is suspended under a conifer branch.

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Regulus regulus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
3. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
4. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Goldcrest. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Goldcrest

External Links

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