Flamecrest

Overview

The flamecrest, also known as the Taiwan firecrest, is a small perching bird in the kinglet family Regulidae. It is endemic to the mountains of Taiwan and is the smallest and most colourful member of its family in the world.

Identification

• Length of approximately 9 cm and weight of about 7 g, making it the smallest of Taiwan's endemic bird species.
• Distinguishing orange-yellow crest on the top of the head; males have an orange centre to the crown stripe while females have it pure yellow.
• Yellow and orange head with black crown stripes, white feathers encircling black eye-patches, and a broad white supercilium.
• High-pitched 'see-see-see' call and a song consisting of a series of high notes.

Habitat

Found in the high-altitude coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests of Taiwan, typically above 2,000 m and commonly above 2,500 m up to 3,700 m. They prefer the forest canopy in evergreen trees but occasionally venture into lower vegetation. Recorded in mountains including Alishan, Da Yu Ling, Hehuanshan, Yu Shan, and the higher areas of Anmashan.

Diet

Primarily insectivorous, feeding on insects and their larvae on the branches and leaf sheathes of trees by hovering and gleaning from leaf to stem. Weeds and berries may be taken occasionally. They are the most generalised foragers among alpine forest birds on conifers, utilising almost all of the tree crown.

Did you know?

Despite being previously considered a race of the firecrest, genetic data shows the flamecrest is closely related to the goldcrest, having diverged from that lineage 3.0–3.1 million years ago.