Firecrest

The Firecrest, Regulus ignicapillus, is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family. It breeds in most of temperate Europe, north Africa and Madeira. It is partially migratory, with northern and eastern birds wintering south of the breeding range. In winter it is often found with tit flocks.

This is the second smallest European bird. It is greenish above and has whitish underparts. It has two white wingbars, a black eye stripe and a white supercilium. It has a crest, orange in the male and yellow in the female, which is displayed during breeding. This is a restless species, constantly on the move as it searches for insects, and frequently hovering. It resembles the Goldcrest, but its bronze shoulders and strong face pattern are distinctive.