Tiny. Minute. Small.
Describe its size how you will, but goldcrests pull in a crowd. I was helping out at a bird ringing demonstration this weekend, and the goldcrests were the star attraction.
For some of the satisfied punters it was the first time they'd seen a goldcrest, let alone up so close. They vie with firecrests for the UK's smallest bird and the ones we caught weighed in at around five grams.
Five grams!
Just think, that's less than the weight of a pound coin! And some goldcrests take on a perilous crossing of the North Sea, leaving Scandinavia and crossing to the UK. Don't you think that it's amazing that a bird so small can make that journey?
This image is by Steve Round from our RSPB Images library. Did you know you can buy all our images as prints or canvasses?
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Such a lovely click of goldcrests! The best part of this bird is that even being a smallest in size they are very active, moving quickly between branches and can be difficult to get a good view of.
I have been fortunate enough to have a gold crest visit my garden earlier this year, s/he was stunning, and i am hoping that it returns this year. It was my best bird find in the garden