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Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Goldcrest

Goldcrest

Regulus regulus

Gaelic: Crionag Ghiuthais

Photograph © Grahame Thompson
Aiginish - Isle of Lewis - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
November 3rd, 2006

 

Grahame is one of two British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) ringers on the Isle of Lewis, he does the East side. His usual areas are the Castle Grounds and Aiginish, plus a whole heap of other sites depending on time of year and species.

 

Our Goldcrest photographs

Goldcrest female	Goldcrest female	Goldcrest male

 

• Goldcrest
• Regulus regulus
• Gaelic: Crionag Ghiuthais
• UK: AMBER LIST. Summer 842,000 territories. WInter 3-5 million birds RSPB
• UK: Resident Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
• WI: Uncommon Migrant Breeder (10-99 breeding pairs), and uncommon passage visitor (low numbers)
• Breeding: Lays 4-12 eggs in an open nest . Prefers coniferous woodland (spruces or firs). Resident in most of temperate Europe & Asia.
• WIntering: Mostly resident but northernmost birds winter south of the breeding range. Large numbers of migrating Goldcrests arrive in the UK in autumn, prefering bushes & shrubs in coastal areas. Often found with tit flocks in winter
• Habitat: Forest, woodland
• Diet: Feeds mostly in high in the canopy. Always moving seeking insects (typically caterpillars), spiders
• Tiny! Our smallest bird (8.5 - 9.5cm). Rounded appearance. Pale greenish above. Buff-white below. Two white wingbars. Plain face with a large black eye. Crown bordered by black sides. Central crest which is displayed during breeding is an orange stripe in the male & yellow in female. Juvenile has plainer, pale crown. Approachable
• Listen to a Goldcrest (RSPB site)
• Typical lifespan 2yrs. Max recorded lifespan 4yrs 10mths
• Similar birds: Firecrest, (rare - has prominent white 'eyebrow' (supercilium), Wren

 

Goldcrest records in the Western Isles

Uncommon Migrant Breeder (10-99 breeding pairs), and uncommon passage visitor (low numbers)

On the chart below the darker the shade of blue the more abundant the Goldcrest is during a month or the more likely you are to see it.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D

(Source: Outer Hebrides Birds Checklist)

 

 

 

 

Other local bird photographs

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