Goldcrest
The Goldcrest is the smallest resident songbird in the UK.
In the winter it joins up with flocks of tits and other woodland species. In the autumn large numbers of migrants also arrive, and large numbers can be found in coastal bushes on the east & south coast during this period.
Identification
- Adult
- The Goldcrest is a tiny rotund bird with a shortish tail. Its face is plain with large dark eyes and fine moustachial streaks. Its crown has a distinctive golden - orange blaze bordered by black. Its back is olive - green, wings black with broad white margin and clear single or sometimes double wingbar.Its under part are Buffy- white in colour.
- Juvenile
- The young Goldcrest has a plain crown.
- Size
- 8.5 - 9cm
- Bill
- Black; short & thin
- Legs
- Black: medium in length
- Habitat
- The Goldcrest can be found almost anywhere there are trees & bushes, especially conifers. They are also in abundance in suburban parks and large gardens.
- Behaviour
- Flits, takes off & lands on vegetation.
- Flight
- Undulating, flittering, hovers.
- Voice
- High pitched zi - zi - zi repeating, song similar but ending in a flourish.
Breeding & Feeding
- Nest
- High in Trees
- Eggs
- Lays 7 - 10 eggs, white speckled brown.
- Incubation Period
- 14 – 17 days
- Broods
- 2; April - May
- Food
- Insects, spiders, seeds.
- UK Breeding Pairs
- Breeding pairs UK 2,100,000
Related products
Luxury Wild Bird Food
Luxury wild bird food seed mix contains a higher proportion of smaller ingredients, particularly appealing to the smaller songbirds, and with the addition of aniseed is a firm favourite with these species.
Find out more
Linseed
Linseed is a seed rich in valuable oils & popular with British finches.
This seeds rich source of oil is valuable when birds are moulting.
