Editing Goldcrest (section)

== Taxonomy ==
The kinglets are a small group of birds sometimes included in the [[Old World warbler]]s, but frequently given family status,<ref name = BB852 >{{cite journal |last= Monroe |first= Burt L. |date=February 1992 |title= The new DNA – DNA avian classification: What's it all about? |journal= British Birds |volume=85 |issue= 2|pages=53–61 }}</ref> especially as recent research shows that despite superficial similarities, they are [[phylogenetics|phylogenetically]] remote from the warblers.<ref name= Barker>{{cite journal |last= Barker | first= F Keith |author2=Barrowclough, George F |author3=Groth, Jeff G | year = 2002 | title= A phylogenetic hypothesis for passerine birds: taxonomic and biogeographic implications of an analysis of nuclear DNA sequence data | journal= Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B | volume= 269 | pages= 295–308 | doi = 10.1098/rspb.2001.1883 | pmid=11839199 | pmc=1690884 | issue=1488}}</ref><ref name= Spicer>{{cite journal |last= Spicer | first= Greg S |author2=Dunipace, Leslie | year= 2004 | title= Molecular phylogeny of songbirds (Passerifor-mes) inferred from mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences | journal= Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume= 30 |issue= 2 |pmid= 14715224 | pages= 325–335 | url = http://online.sfsu.edu/~gs/spicer/pages/spicerpdf/spicerdunipace04.pdf| doi =10.1016/S1055-7903(03)00193-3 | bibcode= 2004MolPE..30..325S }}</ref><ref name= alstrom>{{cite journal | last= Alström | first= Per | author2= Ericson, Per G P | author3= Olsson, Urban | author4= Sundberg, Per | year= 2006 | title= Phylogeny and classiccation of the avian superfamily Sylvioidea | journal= Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume= 38 | pmid= 16054402 | issue= 2 | pages= 381–397 | url= http://www.nrm.se/download/18.4e1d3ca810c24ddc70380001143/Alstr%C3%B6m+et+al+Sylvioidea+MPEV+2006.pdf | doi= 10.1016/j.ympev.2005.05.015 | bibcode= 2006MolPE..38..381A | access-date= 24 November 2010 | archive-date= 27 June 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210627134311/https://www.nrm.se/download/18.4e1d3ca810c24ddc70380001143/Alstr%C3%B6m+et+al+Sylvioidea+MPEV+2006.pdf | url-status= dead }}</ref> The names of the family Regulidae, and the genus ''Regulus'', are derived from the [[Latin]] {{lang|la|[[:wikt:regulus|regulus]]}}, a diminutive of {{lang|la|[[:wikt:rex|rex]]}}, a king.<ref name = Chambers>{{cite book | title = The Chambers Dictionary, ninth edition | year =2006 | publisher = Chambers | location = Edinburgh | page = 1277 | isbn = 978-0-550-10185-3| title-link = Chambers Dictionary }}</ref> The goldcrest was first described by [[Carl Linnaeus]] in his {{lang|la|[[Systema Naturae]]}} in 1758 as ''Motacilla regulus'' (characterised as {{lang|la|[Motacilla] remigibus secundariis exteriori margine flavis, medio albis}}).<ref>{{cite book | last=Linnaeus | first=Carl | author-link=Carl Linnaeus | title=Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata | language = la| publisher=Holmiae: Laurentii Salvii. | year=1758| page=188}}</ref> It was moved to the warbler genus ''[[typical warbler|Sylvia]]'' by English [[naturalist]] [[John Latham (ornithologist)|John Latham]] in 1790,<ref name= latham>{{cite book| last = Latham | first = John | title = Index ornithologicus, sive, Systema ornithologiae, complectens avium divisionem in classes, ordines, genera, species, ipsarumque varietates, adjectis synonymis, locis, descriptionibus, &c | year = 1790 | location = London | publisher = Leigh & Sotheby | language = la | page = 548 | volume = ii }}</ref> and to its current genus by French [[zoology|zoologist]] [[Georges Cuvier]] in 1800.<ref name= cuvier>{{cite book| last = Cuvier | first = Georges | title = Lecons d'anatomie comparee de M. G. Cuvier, Recueillies et publiees sous ses yeux, par C. Dumeril et Duvernoy | year = 1800 | location = Paris | publisher = Crochard et cie | language = fr | volume = 1, table 2 }}</ref>

The relationships of the [[flamecrest]] or Taiwan firecrest (''Regulus goodfellowi'') of Taiwan have also been a source of much debate. It is sometimes viewed as a race of firecrest, but its territorial song resembles those of the [[Himalayas|Himalayan]] races of goldcrest, and genetic data show that it is the closest relative of that species, and, despite its alternative name, only distantly related to the firecrest.<ref name= flamecrest>{{cite journal | last= Päckert | first= Martin |author2=Martens, Jochen |author3=Severinghaus, Lucia Liu | year=2008 | title= The Taiwan Firecrest (''Regulus goodfellowi'') belongs to the Goldcrest assemblage (''Regulus regulus'' s. l.): evidence from mitochondrial DNA and the territorial song of the Regulidae | journal= Journal of Ornithology | volume= 150 | issue = 1 | pages= 205–220 | doi = 10.1007/s10336-008-0335-5 | s2cid= 5626256 }}</ref> The flamecrest diverged from the goldcrest 3.0–3.1&nbsp;[[mya (unit)|mya]] (million years ago).<ref name= erfurt/>

=== Subspecies ===
==== Continental Eurasia ====
[[File:Regulus regulus -Marwell Wildlife, Hampshire, England-8.jpg|right|thumb|Female ''R. r. regulus'' in England]]
[[File:Regulus regulus japonensis.JPG|right|thumb|''R. r. japonensis'' in Japan]]
[[File:Goldcrest Pangolakha WLS Sikkim India 07112018.jpg|right|thumb|''R. r. sikkimensis'' from [[Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary]] in [[Sikkim]], [[India]].]]
[[File:Regulus regulus himalayas.jpg|thumb|Probable male ''R. r. himalayensis'' has paler underparts than the European race.]]
Several subspecies of the goldcrest have been described.<ref name= Vaurie1954>{{cite journal | last= Vaurie | first=Charles | year= 1954| title= Systematic notes on Palearctic birds. No. 8, Sylviinae, the genus ''Regulus'' | journal= American Museum Novitates | issue= 1684| pages= 1–9 | hdl = 2246/4955 }}</ref> In continental [[Eurasia]], there are nine generally accepted and very similar subspecies, differing only in details such as plumage shade.<ref name= Baker>{{cite book | last = Baker | first = Kevin |title = Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa (Helm Identification Guides) | year = 1997 | publisher = Helm| isbn =978-0-7136-3971-1 |pages = 385–387 | location = London| title-link = Helm Identification Guides }}</ref> At the genetic level, the two Central Asian forms, ''R. r. sikkimensis'' and ''R. r. himalayensis'', are very close to each other, and have differentiated only in the recent past, but they diverged from the western subspecies around 2.8&nbsp;mya.<ref name=erfurt>{{cite book |last1= Päckert |first1=Martin|last2=Martens|first2=Jochen|last3=Sun|first3=Yue-Hua|last4=Tietze|first4=Dieter Thomas |year=2009|chapter-url=http://www.staff.uni-mainz.de/tietze/pub/1056.pdf|chapter=Phylogeography and the Evolutionary time-scale of Passerine Radiations in the Sino-Himalayan Region (Aves: Passeriformes)|pages=71–80|editor1-last=Hartmann|editor1-first= Matthias|editor2-last=Weipert|editor2-first=Jörg |title=Biodiversität und Naturausstattung im Himalaya/Biodiversity and natural heritage of the Himalaya III |location=Erfurt|publisher=Verein der Freunde & Förderer des Naturkundemuseums Erfurt|isbn=978-3-00-027117-5 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614015551/http://www.staff.uni-mainz.de/tietze/pub/1056.pdf|archive-date=14 June 2011}}</ref>
* ''R. r. regulus'' ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]]). Breeds in most of Europe; this is the [[Subspecies#Nomenclature|nominate subspecies]].
* ''R. r. himalayensis'' ([[Charles Lucien Bonaparte|Bonaparte]], 1856). Breeds in the [[Himalayas]]; it is similar to the nominate subspecies, but slightly paler above and with whiter underparts.
* ''R. r. japonensis'' ([[Thomas Blakiston|Blakiston]], 1862). Breeds in Eastern Asia, including Japan, Korea, China and [[Siberia]]; it is greener and has darker upper-parts than the nominate form, and has broad white wingbars.
* ''R. r. tristis'' (Pleske, 1892). Breeds in China and [[Central Asia]], wintering in northeastern Afghanistan. Records of this race from Ladakh claimed by [[Richard Meinertzhagen|Meinertzhagen]] are considered to be fraudulent.<ref name=pcr>{{cite book|author= Rasmussen, Pamela Cecile|author-link= Pamela C. Rasmussen|author2= Anderton, John C|author2-link= John C. Anderton |year=2005|title=Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Volume 2|publisher=Smithsonian Institution & Lynx Edicions|page=521}}</ref> It is distinctive, with the black edges to the crest largely absent. The crown of the male is yellower than in other forms, and the underparts are much duller and greyer.
* ''R. r. coatsi'' (Sushkin, 1904). Breeds in Russia and Central Asia, and is paler above than the nominate subspecies.
* ''R. r. yunnanensis'' (Rippon, 1906). Breeds in the Eastern Himalayas, Burma and China; it is like ''R. r. sikkimensis'', but darker overall with dark green upper-parts and darker buff underparts.
* ''R. r. hyrcanus'' ([[Nikolai Zarudny|Zarudny]], 1910). Breeds only in Iran; it is like ''R. r. buturlini'', but slightly darker.
* ''R. r. buturlini'' (Loudon, 1911). Breeds in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is paler above than the nominate subspecies, and greyish-green rather than olive.
* ''R. r. sikkimensis'' (Meinertzhagen R. & [[Annie Meinertzhagen|Meinertzhagen A.]], 1926). Breeds in India and China. It is darker than ''R. r. himalayensis'', and greener than the nominate subspecies.

==== The Atlantic islands ====
Two groups of goldcrest [[taxa]] are found on the Atlantic islands of [[Macaronesia]]. Birds on the [[Canary Islands]] are ancient colonists, whereas those on the [[Azores]] are of more recent origin. There are no goldcrests on [[Madeira]], where the [[Madeira firecrest]] is the only ''Regulus'' species.<ref name= Baker/><ref name= Sangster>{{cite journal | last= Sangster | first= George |author2=Collinson, J Martin |author3=Helbig, Andreas J |author4=Knox, Alan G |author5=Parkin, David T. | year= 2005| title= Taxonomic recommendations for British birds: third report | journal= Ibis | volume= 147 | pages = 821–826 | doi =10.1111/j.1474-919X.2005.00483.x | issue= 4| s2cid= 250043960 | doi-access= free }}</ref>

The Canary Islands were colonised in two waves. The first step was the occupation of [[Tenerife]] and [[La Gomera]] 1.9–2.3&nbsp;million years ago, followed by a separate invasion of [[El Hierro]] and [[La Palma]] 1.3–1.8 mya.<ref name= packert2004/>

Birds from the Canary Islands are particularly distinctive having a black forehead, pink-buff underparts and a darker closed wing,<ref name= Mullarney>{{cite book | last = Mullarney | first = Killian | author-link = Killian Mullarney |author2=Svensson, Lars |author2-link=Lars Svensson (ornithologist) |author3=Zetterstrom, Dan |author3-link=Zetterstrom, Dan |author4=Grant, Peter J. |author4-link=Grant, Peter J. |title = Collins Bird Guide | year = 1999 | publisher = London: Collins | page = 336| isbn = 978-0-00-219728-1| title-link = Collins Bird Guide }}</ref> and have been sometimes treated either as a subspecies of the common firecrest or as a different ''Regulus'' species altogether.<ref name= BB89>{{cite journal | last= Löhrl | first= Hans |author2=Thaler, Ellen |author3=Christie, David A |date=September 1996 | title= Status and behaviour of the Tenerife Kinglet | journal= [[British Birds (magazine)|British Birds]] | volume= 89 | pages= 379–386 }}</ref> They were sometimes called the Tenerife goldcrest, no matter which of the islands they lived on; however, a 2006 study of the vocalisations of these birds indicate that they actually comprise two subspecies of the goldcrest that are separable on voice; ''R. r. teneriffae'' occurring on Tenerife and the newly described subspecies, ''R. r. ellenthalerae'', the western Canary Islands goldcrest, occurring on the smaller islands of La Palma and El Hierro.<ref name= pack2006>{{cite journal | last= Päckert | first= Martin | year=2006 | title= Song dialects as diagnostic characters—acoustic differentiation of the Canary Island Goldcrest subspecies ''Regulus regulus teneriffae'' Seebohm 1883 and ''R. r. ellenthalerae'' Päckert ''et al. '' 2006 (Aves: Passeriformes: Regulidae) | journal= Zootaxa | volume= 1325 | pages= 99–115 | url =http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2006f/z01325p115f.pdf | doi = 10.11646/zootaxa.1325.1.7}}</ref> 
[[File:Forest Los Tilos.jpg|thumb| The recently discovered subspecies ''R. r. ellenthalerae'' occurs in [[laurisilva]] forest on [[La Palma]] (above) and [[El Hierro]] in the [[Canary Islands]].]]
* [[Tenerife goldcrest]] ''R. r. teneriffae'' (Seebohm, 1883). Found on Tenerife and La Gomera, Canary Islands; it is a distinctive, small subspecies with a black forehead and pink-buff underparts.
* [[Western Canary Islands goldcrest]] ''R. r. ellenthalerae'' (Päckert ''et al.'', 2006). Resident on La Palma and El Hierro, Canary Islands.

Differences in songs, genetics and [[morphology (biology)|morphology]] suggests that the Azores were colonised in a single invasion in the late [[Pleistocene]], about 100,000 years ago. It is likely that the initial colonisation was of the easternmost islands, with a subsequent spread to the central and western island groups from the western [[caldera]] of [[São Miguel Island|São Miguel]], where both eastern and western song types are found.
* [[Sao Miguel Goldcrest]] ''R. r. azoricus'' ([[Henry Seebohm|Seebohm]], 1883). Found only on [[São Miguel Island|São Miguel]], Azores; it is like ''R. r. inermis'', except the underparts are more olive-buff.
* [[Western Azores goldcrest]] ''R. r. inermis'' (Murphy & Chapin, 1929). Resident on [[Flores Island (Azores)|Flores]], [[Faial Island|Faial]], [[Terceira Island|Terceira]], [[São Jorge Island|São Jorge]] and [[Pico Island|Pico]], Azores; its upper-parts are a darker olive-green than those of the nominate form, and the underparts are also darker.
* [[Santa Maria goldcrest]] ''R. r. sanctaemariae'' (Vaurie, 1954). Found only on [[Santa Maria Island (Azores)]]; it is paler than other Azores subspecies and whitish below.

=== Fossils ===
There are a few Pleistocene (2.6&nbsp;million to 12,000&nbsp;years [[Before Present|BP]]) records from Europe of extant ''Regulus'' species, mostly goldcrests or unidentifiable to species. The only fossil of an extinct ''Regulus'' is a left [[ulna]] from 2.6–1.95&nbsp;mya in Bulgaria, which was identified as belonging to an extinct species, ''[[Regulus bulgaricus]]''. The goldcrest lineage diverged from this apparent ancestor of the common firecrest in the Middle Pleistocene.<ref name=Boev>{{cite journal|last=Boev |first=Zlatozar |year=1999 |title=''Regulus bulgaricus'' sp. n. – the first fossil Kinglet (Aves: Sylviidae) from the Late Pliocene of Varshets, Western Bulgaria |journal=Historia Naturalis Bulgarica |volume=10 |url=https://archive.org/stream/historianaturali10bulg/historianaturali10bulg_djvu.txt |pages=109–115 }}</ref>