Flamecrest
A species of Kinglets Scientific name : Regulus goodfellowi Genus : Kinglets
Flamecrest, A species of Kinglets
Botanical name: Regulus goodfellowi
Genus: Kinglets
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Wich'yanan (Jay) Limparungpatthanakij
Description
The flamecrest is a small perching bird, resembling a warbler. Its length is only 9 cm (3.5 in) and weight about 7 g, making it is the smallest of all Taiwan's endemic bird species, and the smallest and most colourful member of its family in the world. The top of its head is yellow and orange, with black crown stripes. White feathers encircling the black eye-patches give it the appearance of having two black eyes. The most distinguishing characteristic is the orange-yellow crest on top of the head, for which it is named. Females have the crown stripe pure yellow while males have an orange centre to it. When excited the male erects the crest. The supercilium is very broad and the lores and forehead are whitish. There is a narrow short black malar stripe. The chin is whitish and the throat, ear-coverts and sides of neck are grey. The mantle is green while the rump and flanks are yellow. The centre of the belly is buff. The wings have broad white covert tips forming a wing bar. The tarsi are pinkish. They have a high pitched see-see-see call and the song consists of a series of high notes.
Size
9 cm
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Flamecrest predominantly feeds on insects and larvae, foraging through various parts of conifer tree crowns. Occasionally, it consumes weeds and berries. Flamecrest's generalist foraging strategy contrasts with similar birds, allowing it to utilize more resources in mixed-species flocks.
Habitat
Flamecrest primarily resides in coniferous forests, frequently characterized by an abundance of Chinese fir, hemlock, and spruce trees. Additionally, flamecrest also dwells in mixed coniferous-broadleaf forests. While typically associated with the middle to upper montane zones of central Taiwan, during the non-breeding season, flamecrest is also known to occupy macchia-type vegetation in less elevated areas.
Dite type
Insectivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Behavior
Flamecrests are active and restless birds, hopping and fluttering about in the canopy. These lively songbirds are mainly solitary but will move around actively in small, loose flocks of their own species as well as with coal tits and Eurasian nuthatches. The flight is weak and whirring. Their breeding biology is poorly known.
Distribution Area
It usually inhabits evergreen trees in coniferous forests over 2,000 m above sea level, though it is commonest above 2,500 m and ranges upward to 3,700 m. Mountains it inhabits include Alishan, Da Yu Ling, Hehuanshan, Yu Shan, and the higher areas of Anmashan. They prefer conifers in which to forage, and are usually found in the forest canopy, but will sometimes venture into lower vegetation. An analysis of the distribution of Taiwan's 17 endemic bird species, using data from bird surveys conducted from 1993 to 2004, classified the firecrest as uncommon (along with the Formosan magpie, Taiwan bush warbler, yellow tit and Taiwan barwing). It found that the flamecrest occurred in high- and mid-altitude coniferous forests, and in high-altitude broad-leaved mixed forests, mainly at 2000–3600 m above sea level. The sites where it was recorded had an average altitude of about 2550 m, the highest of all the endemic birds. Its habitats had the coldest mean temperature and lowest warmth index of all 17 endemics, as well as the highest annual rainfall for the five uncommon species, though its distribution regarding vegetation and human disturbance was similar to those of the others.
Photo By Wich'yanan (Jay) Limparungpatthanakij
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Goldcrests and kinglets Genus
Kinglets Species
Flamecrest