Firecrest

    Regulus ignicapilla

Castilian: Reyezuelo listado

Catalan: Bruel

Gallego: Estreliña riscada

Euskera: Erregetxo bekainzuria

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Passeriformes

Family: Sylviidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

Although it can be affected by fires and insecticides that eliminate forest plagues, it is not considered to be a threatened species due to its wide area of distribution and that fact that its popluation is growing.

Length / size: 9 cm / 13-16 cm

Identification: It is one of the smallest birds in Europe, together with the goldcreast, its close relative. Its back is greenish, it underparts light, and its wings dark with a white band; its crown has three bands: two are black and not joined to its forehead, and flank another band, which is orange in males and yellow in females. This contrasts with an eye-catching white forehead, a black ocular stripe, a half-ring that runs under the eyes, and a yellowish colour on the sides of its neck.

Song: Consists of the repetition of a fine note, growing in intensity and ending in a brief trill.

Diet: It primarily feeds on small invertebrates, such as aphids, spiders and springtails.

Reproduction: The breeding period begins in April. The female builds the spherical, semi-closed nest using moss and lichens, and places it in a high tree or bush branch. The female is solely responsible for incubation, but both parents are in charge of caring for the chicks.

HABITAT

It has a preference for cold and wet mid-mountain forests. It occupies coniferous forests (pine, savin) and deciduous ones (oak, Portuguese oak). It is found at altitudes between 500 and 1,000 metres, reaching 2,000 metres in Sierra Nevada.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It is evenly distributed throughout the Balearic Islands and the northern half of the peninsula: Galicia, the Cantabrian Mountains, the Iberian System, Montes Vascos, the Pyrenees Mountains, the Central System, and other inland mountain ranges. In the southern half it is limited to mountainous areas.

In Castile and León: It is distributed throughout the entire community. When breeding, the largest concentrations are found in León, Palencia, Burgos, Segovia and Soria; in winter, it appears widespread in all the provinces.

Movements and migrations: The European populations are partially migratory and they go to the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands to spend the winter. The Iberian populations also most toward warmer areas at lower altitudes. The prenuptial passage takes place between February and April, and the post-nuptial between September and December.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 900000-2 million breeding pairs (1997 data).

In Castile and León: