Regulus regulus
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The goldcrest (Regulus regulus) is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family. Its colourful golden crest feathers, as well as being called the "king of the birds" in European folklore, gives rise to its English and scientific names. The scientific name, R. regulus, means 'petty king' or prince. Several subspecies are recognised across the very large distribution range that includes much of the Palearctic and the islands of Macaronesia and Iceland. Birds from the north and east of its breeding range migrate to winter further south.
This kinglet has greenish upper-parts, whitish under-parts, and has two white wingbars. It has a plain face contrasting black irises and a bright head crest, orange and yellow in the male and yellow in the female, which is displayed during breeding. It superficially resembles the common firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla), which largely shares its European range, but the latter's bronze shoulders and strong face pattern are distinctive. The song is a repetition of high thin notes, slightly higher-pitched than those of its relative. Birds on the Canary Islands are now separated into two subspecies of the goldcrest, but were formerly considered to be a subspecies of the firecrest or a separate species, Regulus teneriffae.
The goldcrest breeds in coniferous woodland and gardens, building its compact, three-layered nest on a tree branch. Ten to twelve eggs are incubated by the female alone, and the chicks are fed by both parents; second broods are common. This kinglet is constantly on the move as it searches for insects to eat, and in winter it is often found with flocks of tits. It may be killed by birds of prey or carry parasites, but its large range and population mean that it is not considered to present any significant conservation concerns. Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Dublin | 🇮🇪 Ireland | |
| 3 | Manchester | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 4 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 5 | Novosibirsk | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 6 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 7 | Kharkiv | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | |
| 8 | Turin | 🇮🇹 Italy | |
| 9 | Seoul | 🇰🇷 South Korea | |
| 10 | Paris | 🇫🇷 France |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin Zoo | 🇮🇪 Ireland | |
| 2 | Alpenzoo Innsbruck | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 3 | LBV-Vogel- und Umweltstation Regenstauf Station für Greifvögel und Eulen | 🇩🇪 Germany |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Goldcrest sighting in Fertő-Hanság National Park on a given day, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 176th most-seen of the 207 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Goldcrest in Fertő-Hanság National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, March–September and November, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Goldcrest sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
28th of 28
Of the 28 parks where we can rate Goldcrest sightings, Fertő-Hanság National Park ranks 28th at under 5%. The best odds are in Tatra National Park (Slovakia, about 50%), Cairngorms National Park (United Kingdom, about 40%) and Białowieża National Park (Poland, about 40%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Goldcrest is recorded against all the birds logged in Fertő-Hanság National Park (17 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
