Goldcrest

Regulus regulus

Europe's smallest bird, weighing less than a coin. Crosses the North Sea on those wings every autumn.

Population: Roughly 80-200 million mature individuals globally (BirdLife/IUCN estimate), with a declining trend in parts of Europe though overall considered stable/not threatened
Habitat: Mature coniferous and mixed woodland, especially spruce, larch, Scots pine, silver fir and mountain pine; also gardens, parks, and deciduous woodland/shrub outside the breeding season; from lowlands up to ~4,800 m elevation
Fun fact: One of Europe's smallest birds at 4.5-7 grams, the goldcrest has an annual adult mortality over 80% (typical life expectancy around 8 months), yet survives freezing winter nights by huddling in tight collective roosts in dense foliage, and the oldest ringed individual lived nearly 5 years.
Range: Widespread across the Palearctic, breeding from Macaronesia and the British Isles across continental Europe and Asia to Japan; northern/high-latitude populations migrate south in winter; total range estimated at ~13.2 million km2
Diet: Almost exclusively small soft-bodied arthropods - springtails, aphids, spiders, small insects and their eggs/larvae - gleaned from conifer needles and foliage
Size: 0.09 m
Wingspan: 0.145 m
Lifespan: 4.8 years

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