Goldcrests
Family kinglets. Widely distributed throughout Britain & Ireland, this tiny songbird vies with the closely-related Firecrest for the title of our smallest breeding bird.
Being so small (5-6 g), Goldcrests are vulnerable in cold weather, and as such numbers fluctuate depending on the harshness of the seasons. In winter, the resident Goldcrest population is bolstered by arrivals from Fennoscandia, and impressive numbers can sometimes be found on the east coast in the autumn, recovering in the dunes after their long flight across the North Sea.
Despite their small size, female Goldcrests can lay up to 12 eggs in a clutch (one and a half times an adult's bodyweight). Goldcrests have an overall olive appearance, with their eponymous stripe on the top of their heads, which is more orange in males and yellow in females. Goldcrests can often be seen searching trees, especially conifers, for small invertebrate prey. Their high-pitched, repetitive song can also be a good way to find one. Information from BTO webpage.
Goldcrests
Family kinglets. Widely distributed throughout Britain & Ireland, this tiny songbird vies with the closely-related Firecrest for the title of our smallest breeding bird.
Being so small (5-6 g), Goldcrests are vulnerable in cold weather, and as such numbers fluctuate depending on the harshness of the seasons. In winter, the resident Goldcrest population is bolstered by arrivals from Fennoscandia, and impressive numbers can sometimes be found on the east coast in the autumn, recovering in the dunes after their long flight across the North Sea.
Despite their small size, female Goldcrests can lay up to 12 eggs in a clutch (one and a half times an adult's bodyweight). Goldcrests have an overall olive appearance, with their eponymous stripe on the top of their heads, which is more orange in males and yellow in females. Goldcrests can often be seen searching trees, especially conifers, for small invertebrate prey. Their high-pitched, repetitive song can also be a good way to find one. Information from BTO webpage.