Scientific name:  Regulus regulus

Size:  Approx 8 to 9cm. Average weight around 5g.

Distribution:  Found throughout the UK

Months seen:  All year round

Habitat:  Parks, gardens and coniferous woodlands

Life span:  2 to 4 years

Food:  Invertebrates

Special features:  Goldcrests can normally be reognised by their tiny size. They are greyish-green in colour with an off white belly. The female has a line of golden yellow feathers on top of her head which is bordered on either side by a black stripe. The male is similar, but has an orange tinge to the yellow head stripe.

Goldcrests, along with Firecrests are the smallest birds in Europe.  They can frequently be seen in conifers at tree top level, flitting from branch to branch, constantly flicking their tiny wings as they search for small invertebrates.

The U.K. population swells each autumn with the arrival of extra goldcrests from Scandinavia.

Related Pages

• Firecrests (similar looking species)
• UK Safari Bird Section
• UK Safari News