The goldcrest (Regulus regulus ) is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family. Its colourful 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. Several subspecies are recognised across the very large distribution range that includes much of the Palearctic and the islands of Macaronesia and Iceland. Birds from the north and east of its breeding range migrate to winter further south.
This kinglet has greenish upper-parts, whitish under-parts, and has two white wingbars. It has a plain face contrasting black irises and a bright head crest, orange and yellow in the male and yellow in the female, which is displayed during breeding. It superficially resembles the common firecrest, which largely shares its European range, but the latter's bronze shoulders and strong face pattern are distinctive. The song is a repetition of high thin notes, slightly higher-pitched than those of its relative. Birds on the Canary Islands are now separated into two subspecies of the goldcrest, but were formerly considered to be a subspecies of the firecrest or a separate species, Regulus teneriffae.
The goldcrest breeds in coniferous woodland and gardens, building its compact, three-layered nest on a tree branch. Ten to twelve eggs are incubated by the female alone, and the chicks are fed by both parents; second broods are common. This kinglet is constantly on the move as it searches for insects to eat, and in winter it is often found with flocks of tits. It may be killed by birds of prey or carry parasites, but its large range and population mean that it is not considered to present any significant conservation concerns.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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ZoochoryZoochory animals are those that can disperse plant seeds in several ways. Seeds can be transported on the outside of vertebrate animals (mostly mam...
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GlidingGliding flight is heavier-than-air flight without the use of thrust and is employed by gliding animals. Birds in particular use gliding flight to m...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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FlockingFlocking birds are those that tend to gather to forage or travel collectively. Avian flocks are typically associated with migration. Flocking also ...
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Partial MigrantPartial migration is when within a migratory species or even within a single population, some individuals migrate while others do not.
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Tiny AnimalsThe goldcrest is one of Europe’s smallest songbirds. Its English and scientific names come from its colorful golden crest feathers, and are also possibly the reason it is known in European folklore as "king of the birds". The tiny goldcrest is a dull grayish-green, on its head, there is a black and yellow stripe, with an orange center in adult males, and its belly is pale. Its thin beak is perfect for picking out insects from between pine needles.
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 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.
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.
Goldcrests are 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...