Editing Goldcrest (section)

{{short description|Small passerine bird in the kinglet family}}
{{Other uses|Goldcrest (disambiguation)}}
{{confuse|text=the [[Golden-crowned kinglet]]}}
{{featured article}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Speciesbox
 | taxon               = Regulus regulus


 | status              = LC
 | status_system       = IUCN3.1
 | status_ref          = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2018 |title=''Regulus regulus'' |volume=2018 |page=e.T22734997A132183740 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22734997A132183740.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
 | image               = Goldcrest 1.jpg
 | image_upright       = 1.1
 | image_caption       = Female ''R. r. regulus'' in [[Lancashire]]
 | image2              = Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) (W1CDR0001500 BD19).ogg
 | image2_caption      = Male song in [[Surrey]]
 | authority           = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]])
 | synonyms = *''Motacilla regulus'' {{small|Linnaeus,&nbsp;1758}}
* ''Regulus cristatus''
 | range_map           = RegulusRegulusIUCN.svg
 | range_map_upright   = 1.1
 | range_map_caption   = Range of ''R. regulus''{{leftlegend|#00FF00|Breeding|outline=gray}} {{leftlegend|#008000|Resident|outline=gray}} {{leftlegend|#007FFF|Non-breeding|outline=gray}} 
}}
[[File:Goldcrest Vinayak Uttarakhand India 05.02.2015.jpg|thumb|Subspecies ''R. r. himalayensis'' at Vinayak village in [[Uttarakhand]], [[India]]]]
[[File:Badderend goudhaantje-4962039.webm|thumb|Bathing goldcrest at [[Utrecht]] in the Netherlands]]

The '''goldcrest''' ('''''Regulus regulus''''') is a very small [[passerine]] bird in the [[kinglet]] family. Its colourful golden [[Crest (feathers)|crest]] feathers, as well as being called the "king of the birds" in European folklore, gives rise to its English and scientific names. The scientific name, ''R. regulus'', means 'petty king' or prince. Several subspecies are recognised across the very large distribution range that includes much of the [[Palearctic]] and the islands of [[Macaronesia]] and [[Iceland]]. Birds from the north and east of its breeding range [[bird migration|migrate]] to winter further south.

This kinglet has greenish upper-parts, whitish under-parts, and has two white wingbars. It has a plain face contrasting black irises and a bright head crest, orange and yellow in the male and yellow in the female, which is [[display (zoology)|displayed]] during breeding. It superficially resembles the [[common firecrest]] (''Regulus ignicapilla''), which largely shares its European range, but the latter's bronze shoulders and strong face pattern are distinctive. The [[Bird vocalization|song]] is a repetition of high thin notes, slightly higher-pitched than those of its relative. Birds on the [[Canary Islands]] are now separated into two subspecies of the goldcrest, but were formerly considered to be a [[subspecies]] of the firecrest or a separate species, ''Regulus teneriffae''.

The goldcrest breeds in [[coniferous]] woodland and gardens, building its compact, three-layered nest on a tree branch. Ten to twelve [[Bird egg|eggs]] are [[Egg incubation#Avian incubation|incubated]] by the female alone, and the chicks are fed by both parents; second broods are common. This kinglet is constantly on the move as it searches for [[Insectivore|insects to eat]], and in winter it is often found with flocks of [[tit (bird)|tits]]. It may be killed by [[birds of prey]] or carry [[parasite]]s, but its large range and population mean that it is not considered to present any significant conservation concerns.