Goldcrest
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Regulus regulus
Population size
98-165 Mlnlnn
Life Span
8 months-2 years
Weight
4.5-7
0.2-0.2
goz
g oz 
Length
8.5-9.5
3.3-3.7
cminch
cm inch 
Wingspan
13.5-15.5
5.3-6.1
cminch
cm inch 

The goldcrest (Regulus regulus) is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family. Its colorful golden crest feathers, as well as being called the "king of the birds" in European folklore, gives rise to its English and scientific names. The scientific name, R. regulus, means king or knight.

Di

Diurnal

In

Insectivores

Ca

Carnivore

Ar

Arboreal

Al

Altricial

Zo

Zoochory

Gl

Gliding

Te

Terrestrial

Te

Territorial

Ov

Oviparous

Mo

Monogamy

So

Social

Fl

Flocking

Pa

Partial Migrant

G

starts with

Ti

Tiny Animals
(collection)

Appearance

The goldcrest is the smallest European bird. It is similar in appearance to a warbler, with olive-green upper parts, buff-white underparts, two white wing bars, and a plain face with conspicuous black irises. The crown of the head has black sides and a narrow black front, and a bright crest, yellow with an orange centre in the male, and entirely yellow in the female; the crest is erected in the display, making the distinctive orange stripe of the male much more conspicuous. The small, thin bill is black, and the legs are dark flesh-brown. Apart from the crest colour, the sexes are alike, although, in fresh plumage, the female may have very slightly paler upper parts and greyer underparts than the adult male. The juvenile is similar to the adult, but has duller upper parts and lacks the coloured crown. Although the tail and flight feathers may be retained into the first winter, by then the young birds are almost indistinguishable from adults in the field. The flight is distinctive; it consists of whirring wing beats with occasional sudden changes of direction. Shorter flights while feeding are a mix of dashing and fluttering with frequent hovering. It moves restlessly among the foliage, regularly creeping on branches and up and down trunks.

Video

Distribution

Geography

Goldcrests breed in Britain and Ireland, across Europe, and southern Siberia, as well as parts of central Asia and Japan; northern populations head south for winter. They are partly migratory; birds in the north move to the south in winter, traveling sometimes about 1,000 km (621 miles) within a week. Breeding takes place in areas of conifer and mixed woodlands, and large gardens and parks that have conifers. Outside of the breeding season, they may live in deciduous trees and scrub.

Goldcrest habitat map

Climate zones

Goldcrest habitat map
Goldcrest
Attribution-ShareAlike License

Habits and Lifestyle

The goldcrest is a diurnal and hyperactive bird with very fast-whirring wings, hopping and jumping among twigs and branches in a jerky, fairly frenetic fashion, somewhat like a wren. When hidden amongst dense conifers, it may reveal its presence by its high-pitched 'zi-zi-zi' call, though this is beyond the hearing range of most humans. These birds forage into foliage and probe into bark crevices with their pointed bill, often hanging upside down or flittering to gather insects from the underside of leaves. They are often to be seen in small groups. In winter, goldcrests display erratic behavior, joining sedentary groups of birds of their species. They will fly long distances, although bad weather can put a stop to their migration. During harsh winters, they feed all day, roosting together at night within dense vegetation, very close together.

Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Goldcrests are carnivores, mainly insectivores. They eat small insects and spiders that they find in trees. During winter, they eat seeds and insects from the ground. The young grow quickly, having a rich diet that includes small spiders and insect larvae.

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
REPRODUCTION SEASON
starts in late April or early May
INCUBATION PERIOD
16 days
INDEPENDENT AGE
17-22 days
BABY NAME
chick
web.animal_clutch_size
9-12 eggs

Goldcrests are monogamous breeders. This means that both the male and the female have only one partner. Courtship displays begin in late April or early May. The sedentary male sings to establish his territory and attract females, displaying his bright orange crest to his mate. Higher conifers can contain several breeding pairs at different levels of the trees, so several territories can exist in the same tree. The nest is on the outer branches of the tree, is hammock-shaped, and is built mainly by the male. 9 to 12 smooth pale eggs with several markings are laid, one per day. Incubation is for about 16 days, by the female, starting before all eggs have been laid. The female broods and cares for the chicks during the first seven days. The male feeds the female at the nest and both adults will feed the chicks, which fledge at around 17 to 22 days.

Population

Population threats

Goldcrests are common across most of their range. The only significant threat is a natural one: in severe winters many birds die if cold temperatures last too long, but the populations are able to recover within several years.

Population number

According to the IUCN Red List, the total goldcrest population size is estimated at 98-165 million mature individuals. The breeding population within Europe is estimated to be 20 million - 37,000,000 pairs, with 40,100,000-74,100,000 mature individuals. According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) resource, the wintering population size of the species in the UK is 3-5 million birds. Overall, currently, goldcrests are classified as Least Concern (LC), but their numbers today are decreasing.

Fun Facts for Kids

  • The little goldcrest is often overlooked; however, it is surprisingly fearless and sometimes may approach close to humans during winter.
  • Goldcrests are so tiny, dwarfed even by a sparrow.
  • Goldcrest breeding pairs are extremely active and build their nest within a few days or up to three weeks.
  • The nest is made of three distinct parts: the outer part is made with lichens and mosses, woven with spider webs, fixed firmly to the branches, the middle part is made of mosses, and the inner section is lined with feathers and hair. Goldcrests place their nest relatively high in a tree.
  • A goldcrest pair may produce two broods, at least about 20 young per year.
  • Goldcrest parents prepare for the next clutch while still feeding the first. The female may lay the second brood while the first is still in the nest.
  • This species breeds when food is abundant and the hours of daylight are long enough.
  • In winter, goldcrests can’t survive during the day for over an hour without feeding.
  • A goldcrest is always on the move; in winter it must feed for at least 90% of each day just to stay alive.

Coloring Pages

References

1. Goldcrest Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldcrest
2. Goldcrest on The IUCN Red List site - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22734997/0
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/707374
4. Video creator - https://avibirds.com

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