Goldcrest Regulus regulus Scientific name definitions

8·5–9·5 cm; 4·6–7·1 g. Tiny olive passerine , fairly compact in appearance, with distinctive face pattern. Male nominate race has bright lemon-yellow central crownstripe with rear feathers intense orange (orange visible only when crest raised), bordered by black lateral stripes, broad but diffuse white eyering (emphasizing dark eye), short black mousta­chial stripe; upperparts pale olive-green, two white wingbars, basal black patch on secondaries forming sharply contrasting rear bar, flight-feathers narrowly edged yellowish, tertials edged and tipped white; throat and underparts greyish-white, tinged yellowish (when plumage fresh); iris dark brown; bill thin and needle-like, black-brown; legs brown. Easily distinguished from R. ignicapilla by duller and less colourful plumage, black eyestripe lacking, black rear bar on wing broader and more sharply contrasted. Female has crown paler and lacking orange feathers. Juvenile is duller than adult, lacks bright crown feathers, has white eyering less conspicuous and with narrow dark brown interior ring. Races vary mainly in plumage coloration and size: coatsi has paler upperparts and broader white tips on upper­wing-coverts than nominate, wing on average longer; inermis has more mottled, darker green-olive upper­parts and more brownish-olive underparts than nominate, longer bill; azoricus  is similar to previous, but more olive-buff to yellowish below; sanctaemariae is much paler than previous two, more pale yellowish-olive above, brighter creamy white below; <em>teneriffae</em> is slightly smaller than nominate but longer-billed , generally brighter, has black lateral crownstripes meeting on forehead, stronger orange on crown of male; ellenthalerae differs from last in having finer bill, underparts less brownish, male with central crownstripe paler; buturlini is duller and greyer above and less yellowish below than nominate, wingbars more conspicuous; hyrcanus is darker than previous, greyer than nominate; tristis is distinctive, much duller and greyer above, with lower back and rump greyish-olive, black lateral crownstripes greatly reduced and browner or even lacking, male crown yellow or orange-yellow (never orange), female crown patch smaller or absent; himalayensis  is rather dark olive-greyish; sikkimensis is darker and greener above than previous; yunnanensis  is darkest race, nape slate-grey; <em>japonensis</em> has nape and head  side pure grey, darker and greener above, white wing-covert tips somewhat broader, brownish tinge below (in fresh plumage more ochre).

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Boreal forests dominated by Norway spruce (Picea abies) and fir (Abies); on Atlantic islands in laurel (Laurus) forest or pine (Pinus) stands with well-developed undergrowth of tree-heath (Erica), but also in conifer stands of indigenous short-leaved juniper (Juniperus brevifolia) or introduced Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica). Outside breeding season, and especially during migration, also invades mixed and deciduous forests, shrub vegetation and gardens and parks. Breeds at up to 2200 m in Swiss Alps (nominate race), to 2000 m in Caucasus (buturlini), to 2400 m in Ala Tau (tristis), to 2600 m in Japan Alps and on Mt Fuji (japonensis) and to 4000 m in Himalayas (himalayensis).

Chiefly migratory. Only N Fennoscandian breeding grounds (mainly in Finland) completely abandoned by entire population; in C Europe, local breeding populations depart from beginning of Aug and, by mid-Dec, have been replaced by wintering flocks from N Europe. Two main migration routes, one SW along coastlines of Norway, Denmark and Netherlands into W & S Europe, and another E route from Scandinavia and the Baltic states to Poland and S to Balkans; winters in large parts of S Europe, including Mediterranean islands (Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Malta, Cyprus), but only limited wintering in N Africa (regular in small numbers in Tunisia, 4 records from Morocco). C Asian populations (of race tristis) descend to foothills in winter, moving SW beyond breeding boundaries to Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, with occasional records as far W as Iran. E Asian japonensis winters in Korea, E China and Ryukyu Is, and occasionally reaches Taiwan. In Himalayas, makes post-breeding descent to lower levels; race sikkimensis from NC China partially moves to Yangtze Valley in winter. Resident populations on Azores, Canary Is  and Corsica.

Arthropods. Generally adapted to small-sized prey, such as springtails (Collembola), aphids (Aphidoidea), small moths (Lepidoptera) and tiny spiders (Araneae). Strong preference for springtails (Collembola), especially during non-breeding season, when bark-living species of genus Entomobrya important. In Canary Is less selective in terms of prey size, commonly feeds on long-legged arthropods such as orthopterans; in captivity readily took phasmids, which generally shunned by nominate race in mainland Europe. With decreasing food availability during migration, larger species, such as adult winter moths (Operophtera brumata), also taken. Largest items usually beaten repeatedly against a branch. Forages mostly by clinging and hanging from twigs. In coniferous habitats , prefers to forage in dense branches, moving up and down vertical twigs; exploits underside of branches more often and more intensely than does R. ignicapilla. Also hovers at outer tips of branches, picking prey from substrate or in flight. Sometimes hovers at spider webs, from which picks trapped small insects such as aphids and psyllids (Psyllidae); rarely, becomes entangled in web and may perish. Outside breeding season often in small, loose groups, frequently with mixed-species flocks.

Territorial song composed of a stereotype high-pitched  main part and a shorter, highly variable terminal flourish, each male possessing repertoire of up to 28 different terminal motifs; geographical variation extremely high, with distinct regional dialects; main part of song either a rapid trill (“himalayensis group”, Hokkaido population of japonensis, azoricus, sanctaemariae, teneriffae) or a rhythmic alternation of high-frequency and low-frequency notes “tee-de-dee tee-de-dee” (nominate , continental japonensis, inermis, other song types of azoricus and sanctaemariae). Calls  are high-pitched and quiet “seeeh” or “zick”, sometimes louder.

Beginning of nesting activities from end of Mar, nest records mainly from first week Apr; two broods per breeding season. Nest built by both sexes, a typical regulid cup-nest of three layers, inner layer padded out with large number of small feathers (up to 2500 in single nest), strong coat of lichens (especially of genus Parmelia) in outer layer, suspended 4–14 m above ground in vertical twigs of conifer; on Atlantic islands, nest typically built in species of tree-heath, e.g. incorporated in horizontal twigs of Erica arborea in Canaries (race teneriffae and ellenthalerae), also a few nest recorded in laurel trees. Clutch 6–13 eggs  , second clutches slightly smaller than first; incubation by female, period 14–17 days (in captivity, average 15 days); chicks fed by both sexes, nestling period 17–22 days (in captivity, 19–21 days after hatching); fledglings fed by parents for 12–18 days after having left nest.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Common to locally abundant. Marked range extension after planting of spruce forests in C Europe in 19th century. Numbers fluctuate, depending largely on severity of winter weather; estimates of European population include up to several tens of millions of breeding pairs in “good” years. Some island races may require further consideration because of ongoing loss of suitable breeding habitats, such as the laurel forests of Canary Is (<em>teneriffae</em> and ellenthalerae) or those of the Azores; in the latter islands, race sanctaemariae has only a very restricted forest area on the C mountain (Pico Alto) of Santa Maria. Although harsh winter conditions, especially if they persist for lengthy periods over wide aeas of the non-breeding range, can seriously reduce population levels, this species is capable of recovering its numbers within only a few breeding seasons.