Goldcrest
Regulus regulus
Where is it found?
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Woodland, heathland, meadows and urban parkland.
Diet and foraging method
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Foraging in trees, taking insects from leaves and branches, catch insects in flight.
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Key adaptations
They are well adapted for living in and foraging among thick conifer branches, with their small body size and small, narrow bill to take small insects from confined spaces.
Social organisation and mating system
Flocks
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Forms monogamous breeding pairs
Did you know that...?
The Goldcrest has a bright yellow crest on its head. This crest may be why Goldcrests are called the king of the birds in European folklore.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Fuglekonge - Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) from Lista, Norway" by Marton Berntsen - Own work. Licenced under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fuglekonge_-_Goldcrest_(Regulus_regulus)_from_Lista,_Norway.JPG#/media/File:Fuglekonge_-_Goldcrest_(Regulus_regulus)_from_Lista,_Norway.JPG
"Goldcrest ( Regolo ) - Val d'Aosta - Italy S4E4395 (17109774266)" by Francesco Veronesi from Italy - Goldcrest ( Regolo ) - Val d'Aosta - Italy_S4E4395. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goldcrest_(_Regolo_)_-_Val_d%27Aosta_-_Italy_S4E4395_(17109774266).jpg#/media/File:Goldcrest_(_Regolo_)_-_Val_d%27Aosta_-_Italy_S4E4395_(17109774266).jpg
"Regulus regulus azoricus MHNT.ZOO.2010.11.207" by Didier Descouens - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Regulus_regulus_azoricus_MHNT.ZOO.2010.11.207.jpg#/media/File:Regulus_regulus_azoricus_MHNT.ZOO.2010.11.207.jpg
"A Natural History of the Nests and Eggs of British Birds -Goldcrest -plate 132" by Francis Orpen Morris - A_Natural_History_of_the_Nests_and_Eggs_of_British_Birds. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Natural_History_of_the_Nests_and_Eggs_of_British_Birds_-Goldcrest_-plate_132.jpg#/media/File:A_Natural_History_of_the_Nests_and_Eggs_of_British_Birds_-Goldcrest_-plate_132.jpg
"Regulus regulus -Vendee, France-8" by Oiseauxvendee - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Regulus_regulus_-Vendee,_France-8.jpg#/media/File:Regulus_regulus_-Vendee,_France-8.jpg
"Zoological Illustrations Volume II Series 2 051" by William Swainson - Zoological illustrations, or, Original figures and descriptions of new, rare, or interesting animals, selected chiefly from the classes of ornithology, entomology, and conchology, and arranged according to their apparent affinities, Volume 2, 2nd series (1829). Licenced under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zoological_Illustrations_Volume_II_Series_2_051.jpg#/media/File:Zoological_Illustrations_Volume_II_Series_2_051.jpg
"Gold-creasted Wren Grönvold" by Henrik Grönvold - Birds of Great Britain and Ireland, Order Passeres, vol. I, plate 22. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gold-creasted_Wren_Gr%C3%B6nvold.jpg#/media/File:Gold-creasted_Wren_Gr%C3%B6nvold.jpg
"Fuglekonge - Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) from Lista, Norway" by Marton Berntsen - Own work. Licenced under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fuglekonge_-_Goldcrest_(Regulus_regulus)_from_Lista,_Norway.JPG#/media/File:Fuglekonge_-_Goldcrest_(Regulus_regulus)_from_Lista,_Norway.JPG
"Goldcrest ( Regolo ) - Val d'Aosta - Italy S4E4395 (17109774266)" by Francesco Veronesi from Italy - Goldcrest ( Regolo ) - Val d'Aosta - Italy_S4E4395. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goldcrest_(_Regolo_)_-_Val_d%27Aosta_-_Italy_S4E4395_(17109774266).jpg#/media/File:Goldcrest_(_Regolo_)_-_Val_d%27Aosta_-_Italy_S4E4395_(17109774266).jpg
"Regulus regulus azoricus MHNT.ZOO.2010.11.207" by Didier Descouens - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Regulus_regulus_azoricus_MHNT.ZOO.2010.11.207.jpg#/media/File:Regulus_regulus_azoricus_MHNT.ZOO.2010.11.207.jpg
"A Natural History of the Nests and Eggs of British Birds -Goldcrest -plate 132" by Francis Orpen Morris - A_Natural_History_of_the_Nests_and_Eggs_of_British_Birds. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Natural_History_of_the_Nests_and_Eggs_of_British_Birds_-Goldcrest_-plate_132.jpg#/media/File:A_Natural_History_of_the_Nests_and_Eggs_of_British_Birds_-Goldcrest_-plate_132.jpg
"Regulus regulus -Vendee, France-8" by Oiseauxvendee - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Regulus_regulus_-Vendee,_France-8.jpg#/media/File:Regulus_regulus_-Vendee,_France-8.jpg
"Zoological Illustrations Volume II Series 2 051" by William Swainson - Zoological illustrations, or, Original figures and descriptions of new, rare, or interesting animals, selected chiefly from the classes of ornithology, entomology, and conchology, and arranged according to their apparent affinities, Volume 2, 2nd series (1829). Licenced under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zoological_Illustrations_Volume_II_Series_2_051.jpg#/media/File:Zoological_Illustrations_Volume_II_Series_2_051.jpg
"Gold-creasted Wren Grönvold" by Henrik Grönvold - Birds of Great Britain and Ireland, Order Passeres, vol. I, plate 22. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gold-creasted_Wren_Gr%C3%B6nvold.jpg#/media/File:Gold-creasted_Wren_Gr%C3%B6nvold.jpg