Goldcrest

Bsal

I had a Goldcrest visit the garden yesturday evening and today, beautiful little bird I hope he/she is a regular sight in my garden. Could this bird just be a winter visitor or do they stick around all year?

jmkennedyie

They are in Ireland all year around. Associated with coniferous trees. Like all tiny birds they have to eat a tremendous amount of food in proportion to their body weight to stay alive so are always on the move. They are the smallest bird in Europe. Smaller than wren, same size as firecrest (occassionally seen in Ireland).

doctor evil

Are they a regular garden bird?

Judgement Day

Not really unless you live next to a forestry plantation as they do prefer conifers for foraging in.

Feargal as Luimneach

Judgement Day wrote: »

Not really unless you live next to a forestry plantation as they do prefer conifers for foraging in.

I occasionally get the odd goldcrest in my garden. There quite fond of having a dip in the pond:D

Kess73

Am in Limerick and I get regular goldcrest every winter. I do have conifers very close to the house, so no real shock to have them as regulars.

Connacht

I spotted one in my ash and hawthorn hedge last year. No conifers particularly close by. It was a female -isn't her head yellow/gold, rather than the male's orange ?

jmkennedyie

If I remember correctly male crest can also look yellow/gold. If a bit disshelved you can see the orange. Saw this up close when a ringer was processing one.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Judgement Day wrote: »

Not really unless you live next to a forestry plantation as they do prefer conifers for foraging in.

So the books say but I have them regularly and unless you could a few pine trees in the garden there are neither conifers nor froestry for many miles. I know of some other gardens with regular Goldcrest visitors and not a conifer in sight. Isn't Nature wonder!

whyulittle

How orange does the male Goldcrest's crest get? I came across a pair today, one normal yellow looking, but the other was very orange.

I had been thinking Firecrest, until I got home and saw their distribution.

V_Moth

whyulittle wrote: »

How orange does the male Goldcrest's crest get? I came across a pair today, one normal yellow looking, but the other was very orange.

I had been thinking Firecrest, until I got home and saw their distribution.

The bird in the pic is a Goldcrest. The crown colour can be quite variable. With Firecrest, I find it is usually the white stripe above the eye which gets my attention, whereas Goldcrest always has a relatively plain "face". The calls are also slightly, but noticeably different.

Only about 100 pairs of Firecrest breed in southern Britain (expanding I think), but it is relatively common in the right habitat in Continental Europe. In Ireland, it is a scarce passage migrant mainly from September to December. There are a few spring records, but I haven't heard of any birds breeding in Ireland.