Flamecrest

About the Flamecrest

The flamecrest (Regulus goodfellowi), also known as the Taiwan firecrest, is a species of bird in the kinglet family Regulidae. It is endemic to the mountains of Taiwan. The flamecrest is a small perching bird, resembling a warbler. Its length is only 9 cm (3.5 in) and weight about 7 g, making it the smallest of all Taiwan's endemic bird species, and the smallest and most colourful member of its family in the world.

The top of its head is yellow and orange, with black crown stripes. White feathers encircling the black eye-patches give it the appearance of having two black eyes. The most distinguishing characteristic is the orange-yellow crest on top of the head, for which it is named. Females have the crown stripe pure yellow while males have an orange centre to it. When excited the male erects the crest. The supercilium is very broad and the lores and forehead are whitish. There is a narrow short black malar stripe. The chin is whitish and the throat, ear-coverts and sides of neck are grey. The mantle is green while the rump and flanks are yellow. The centre of the belly is buff. The wings have broad white covert tips forming a wing bar. The tarsi are pinkish. They... Wikipedia →