Western Canary Islands goldcrest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Western Canary Islands goldcrest |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Regulidae |
| Genus: | Regulus |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
R. r. ellenthalerae
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| Trinomial name | |
| Regulus regulus ellenthalerae Päckert et al., 2006
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The Western Canary Islands goldcrest, known scientifically as Regulus regulus ellenthalerae, is a very small passerine bird. Passerine birds are often called "perching birds" because they have feet designed to grip branches. This tiny bird belongs to the kinglet family. Kinglets are known for being some of the smallest birds and often have bright patches of color on their heads, like a little crown.
This special goldcrest lives only on the western Canary Islands. You can find it on the islands of La Palma and El Hierro. It is a non-migratory resident, which means it lives there all year and does not fly to other places for different seasons.
Discovering the Western Canary Islands Goldcrest
For a long time, scientists thought this bird was the same as another type of goldcrest found on the island of Tenerife. That one is called the Tenerife Goldcrest (Regulus regulus teneriffae).
How it Became a Unique Subspecies
However, in 2006, scientists like Päckert and his team studied these birds more closely. They found that the Western Canary Islands goldcrest was different enough to be considered its own unique subspecies. This means it's a distinct group within the larger goldcrest species.
Scientists believe this bird evolved from an independent colonisation of the islands. This means that its ancestors arrived on La Palma and El Hierro separately from the ancestors of the Tenerife Goldcrest. This happened a very long time ago, between 1.3 and 1.8 million years ago. Over this long period, the birds on these specific islands changed and adapted, becoming the unique Western Canary Islands goldcrest we know today.
See also
In Spanish: Reyezuelo canario occidental para niños
