Flamecrest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flamecrest |
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The flamecrest (Regulus goodfellowi), also called the Taiwan firecrest, is a tiny bird. It belongs to the kinglet family, Regulidae. This special bird lives only in the mountains of Taiwan. This means it is endemic to Taiwan.
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What Does a Flamecrest Look Like?
The flamecrest is a very small perching bird. It looks a bit like a warbler. This bird is only about 9 cm (3.5 in) long. It weighs around 7 g, which is about the same as two pennies! This makes it the smallest bird that lives only in Taiwan. It is also the smallest and most colorful bird in its family around the world.
Colors and Markings
The top of its head is bright yellow and orange. It has black stripes on its crown. White feathers around its black eyes make it look like it has two black eyes. The most special thing about it is the orange-yellow crest on its head. This is why it is called the flamecrest!
Female flamecrests have a pure yellow stripe on their head. Males have an orange part in the middle of their head stripe. When a male bird gets excited, it can make its crest stand up. The area above its eyes is very wide and white. Its chin is whitish, and its throat and neck sides are grey. Its back is green, while its bottom and sides are yellow. The middle of its belly is a light brown color. Its wings have wide white tips that look like a bar. Its legs are pinkish.
Sounds and Calls
Flamecrests make a high-pitched see-see-see sound. Their song is a series of high notes. These birds are quite noisy when you are close to them. However, their voice is soft and does not travel very far.
Where Do Flamecrests Live?
Flamecrests usually live in evergreen coniferous forests. These are forests with trees like pines and firs. They live high up in the mountains, usually above 2,000 m (6,560 ft) above sea level. They are most common even higher, above 2,500 m (8,200 ft). They can be found as high as 3,700 m (12,140 ft).
Some of the mountains they live on include Alishan, Da Yu Ling, Hehuanshan, and Yu Shan. They like to find food in conifer trees. They are usually found in the tops of the trees. But sometimes, they will go into lower plants.
A study showed that flamecrests live in high and middle-altitude conifer forests. They also live in high-altitude forests with mixed broad-leaved trees. The places where they were seen had an average height of about 2,550 m (8,366 ft). This is the highest of all the birds that live only in Taiwan. Their homes have the coldest average temperature and the most rain compared to other birds.
Flamecrest Behavior
Flamecrests are very active and restless birds. They hop and flutter around in the tops of the trees. These lively songbirds are mostly on their own. But they will move around in small groups of their own kind. They also join groups with other birds like coal tits and Eurasian nuthatches. Their flight is weak and makes a whirring sound.
What Do Flamecrests Eat?
The flamecrest mainly eats insects. They look for insects and their young (larvae) on the branches and leaves of trees in conifer forests. They can hover in the air and pick food from leaves and stems. Sometimes, they might eat weeds and berries.
A study looked at how different birds find food in forests. It found that flamecrests were good at finding food in many parts of a tree. They used almost the whole top part of a tree. Other birds, like Eurasian nuthatches and coal tits, often focused on only certain parts of the tree. Flamecrests often join these other birds in mixed-species foraging flocks when they are not breeding.
Images for kids
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A flamecrest perched on a branch.
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A flamecrest showing its bright crest.
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