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Goldcrest
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Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Regulidae
Genus: Regulus
Species: Regulus regulus

The Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) is the smallest European bird along with the Firecrest.

Description[]

The Goldcrest is only 8 cm long and has a wingspan of 15 cm. It has light-green upperparts and whitish underparts, a black-and-white wing bar, black eyes, beak, mustache and sides of the crown and a yellow-orange crest. Females usually have yellow crests, while males have orange or sometimes almost red crest. The cheeks are light gray.

Voice[]

This bird's call is a fine, high-pitched "zee-zee-zee", somewhat reminiscent of a Long-tailed Tit's song.

Behavior[]

The Goldcrest is always flapping and hopping through evergreen tree branches, with quick and nervous movements. It eats small insects in summer and seeds in winter. In winter, it can form mixed flocks with tits, finches and firecrests. The winter is a very hard period for Goldcrests, as about 80% of young Goldcrest does not survive this season. Individuals that survive their first winter are more likely to live a few more years.

Feeding[]

The Goldcrest is a predominantly insectivorous species, feeding mostly on arthropods such as aphids, springtails and spiders, as well as small moths and caterpillars, and the eggs and larvae of various insects. The Goldcrest catches its prey in flight or in trees, usually foraging on the lower surface of branches and leaves in order to avoid competition with the Firecrest, which forages on the upper surface. The Goldcrest may also forage on the ground, especially in winter. Goldcrests have a habit of taking insects caught in spider webs, sometimes getting stuck in the webs themselves. Despite being mostly insectivorous, they have also been seen eating pollen or lymph.

Breeding[]

The Goldcrest nests on trees. Its nest, cup-shaped, is made of moss, cobwebs and straw. To compensate for their high mortality rate, Goldcrests are very prolific. A Goldcrest pair will often breed twice a year, utilizing two different nests. The first nest is built by the female, who then lays about ten whitish eggs and incubates them alone for about 16 days. At first, the young are taken care of by the female alone; in the meantime, the male builds a second nest. Once the second nest is ready, the female goes to lay and incubate her second clutch there, leaving the young from the first brood to the male, who feeds them until they are fully independent. The male then joins the female in taking care of the second brood.

Distribution and habitat[]

The Goldcrest lives mainly in Central and North Europe and Central Asia, but it sometimes moves to warmer areas. It is very common in the European mountains, like Alps and Pyrenees. This small passerine bird lives in evergreen trees woods, but is sometimes found in urban and suburban parks and gardens in winter.

In popular culture[]

According to a European legend first recorded by Aristotle, a long time ago the birds held a contest to see who could fly the highest. The winner would have become the king of all birds. Knowing the eagle would fly higher than everybody else, a small bird hid beneath the eagle's feathers, and, once the eagle stopped, flew above its head, thus winning the contest and being declared king. This small bird has been identified as either a Goldcrest, whose yellow crest resembles a crown, or a Eurasian Wren. The Goldcrest's name in various European languages seems to reflect this: the Latin Regulus means "little king", as does the French Roitelet. The Danish and Norwegian Fuglekonge, and the Swedish Kungsfågel all mean "king bird".

Gallery[]

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