From Opus

Photo by Andy Bright
Hertfordshire, UK, March 2004

Includes: Canary Islands Kinglet

Regulus regulus

[edit] Identification

9cm
Adult

• Yellowy-green upperparts
• Wings have two white wing bars and a dark mark
• Whitish-buff underparts
• Head: black border to orange crown (male) yellow-orange crown in female
• Thin black bill
• Brown legs

[edit] Similar Species

Subspecies tristis
Photo by Askar Isabekov
Ile-Alatau National Park, Kazakhstan, January 2007

Firecrest has a white supercillium and black eyestripe.
The tiny size and lack of supercillium distinguishes it from all other small green warblers.

[edit] Distribution

Widespread throughout Europe, North Africa and Asia

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies

There are 13 subspecies^[1]:

• R. r. regulus (anglorum, interni):

• Europe to Asia Minor and western Siberia; winters to Mediterranean

• R. r. azoricus :

• Azores (São Miguel Island

• R. r. sanctaemariae:

• Azores (Santa Maria Island)

• R. r. inermis:

• Western Azores (Flores, Faial, Pico, São Jorge and Terciera)

• R. r. teneriffae:

• Canary Islands - sometimes split as full species, Canary Islands Kinglet

• R. r. buturlini:

• Crimea, Caucasus and Azerbaijan; winters to northern Iran

• R. r. hyrcanus:

• Eastern Turkey (Elburz Mountains) to northern Iran (southern Caspian District)

• R. r. coatsi:

• Western Siberia to Altai Mountains; winters to southern Nan Shan Mountains

• R. r. tristis:

• Mountains of central Asia; winters to Transcaspia and western Iran

• R. r. himalayensis:

• Himalayas of Afghanistan to Pakistan and Nepal

• R. r. sikkimensis:

• Himalayas of Nepal to south-eastern Tibet and western China

• R. r. japonensis:

• Mountains of Manchuria to northern and eastern China, Korea and Japan

• R. r. yunnanensis:

• Mountains of western China (southern Gansu and Shaanxi to Sichuan and Yunnan)

[edit] Habitat

Woods and large gardens with scattered trees. Prefers conifers for breeding. Can be found in gorse on heaths outside of the breeding season.

[edit] Behaviour

Joins mixed tit flocks in the winter.

[edit] Flight

Undulating flight. Often hovers when feeding in the tree canopy.

[edit] Diet

The diet consists mainly of insects.

[edit] Breeding

The nest is suspended under a conifer branch.

[edit] Vocalisation

[edit] References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
3. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
4. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6

• List of references

[edit] External Links