Regulus goodfellowi Ogilvie-Grant, 1906

Taxonomy and General Appearance

The flamecrest (Regulus goodfellowi Ogilvie-Grant, 1906) is a small perching bird that resembles a warbler.

Size

It measures only 9 cm (3.5 in) in length and weighs approximately 7 g, making it the smallest of Taiwan's endemic bird species. It is also the smallest and most colourful member of its family worldwide.

Head Coloration Base

The top of its head has yellow and orange colouring with black crown stripes. White feathers surrounding the black eye-patches create the appearance of two distinct black eyes.

Species-Defining Crest

Its most defining feature is the orange-yellow crest on the top of the head, which gives the species its common name. Females have a pure yellow crown stripe, while males have an orange centre in their crown stripe; when excited, males will erect this crest.

Facial Feather Details

The flamecrest has a very broad supercilium, and its lores and forehead are whitish. It has a narrow, short black malar stripe.

Neck and Throat Coloration

Its chin is whitish, while its throat, ear-coverts and sides of the neck are grey.

Body Coloration

The mantle is green, and the rump and flanks are yellow. The centre of the belly is buff.

Wing and Tarsus Features

The tips of the wing coverts are broad white, forming a distinct wing bar. The tarsi are pinkish.

Vocalizations

This species produces a high-pitched see-see-see call, and its song is made up of a series of high notes.

Elevation Range

The flamecrest typically inhabits evergreen trees in coniferous forests located above 2,000 m above sea level; it is most common above 2,500 m, and ranges as high as 3,700 m.

Inhabited Mountains

The mountains it inhabits include Alishan, Da Yu Ling, Hehuanshan, Yu Shan, and the higher elevations of Anmashan.

Foraging Behavior

It prefers to forage in conifers, and is most often found in the forest canopy, though it will sometimes move into lower vegetation.

Population Classification

An analysis of the distribution of Taiwan's 17 endemic bird species, using data from bird surveys carried out between 1993 and 2004, classified the flamecrest as uncommon.

Habitat Types

It occurs in high- and mid-altitude coniferous forests, and in high-altitude broad-leaved mixed forests, mainly between 2000–3600 m above sea level.

Average Altitude

The average altitude of sites where the flamecrest was recorded is about 2550 m, the highest average altitude among all Taiwanese endemic bird species.

Habitat Temperature Characteristics

Of the 17 Taiwanese endemic bird species included in the analysis, the flamecrest's habitat has the coldest mean temperature and the lowest warmth index.

Habitat Rainfall Characteristics

Among the five uncommon endemic species, the flamecrest's habitat has the highest annual rainfall.

Distribution Correlates

Its distribution in relation to vegetation types and human disturbance is similar to that of the other uncommon endemic species.