Goldcrest

Regulus regulus (Linnaeus, 1758)

2014-10-27 Western Kazakhstan. Syrym region. Ulenta.	© Aibar Magazov

Distribution

In Kazakhstan Goldcrest breeds only in the spruce forests of Tien Shan and Dzhungar Alatau. On winter wandering occurs also in other parts of Kazakhstan. Please see the detailed distribution in the Subspecies chapter.

Biology

Common resident. Inhabits spruce and fir forests at 1700-2600 m in Zailiyskiy Alatau and 1450-1600 m in Altai. During dispersal and wintering occurs in floodplain and riparian forests, other deciduous and mixed forests, groves, shelterbelts, bush thickets and tall weeds thickets. Breeds in separate pairs, quite far from each other. Nest is located in spruce twig at height 2.5-15 m above the ground; nest is built from moss, lichen, cobweb, hair, plant fluff and grass bast and is lined with plenty of feathers. Both partners build nest for 17-20 days. Clutch of 7-9 eggs is laid in mid-May to early July. Only female incubates for 16-18 days, male brings food to female. Both parents feed juveniles which fledge at age 18-20 days old, in end of June – mid-July. One brood per season, repeated breeding after loss of first clutch is common. Autumn-winter dispersal in loose flocks up to one-two dozen birds or singly begins mainly in September – October. The return spring movement is not so marked, latest wandering birds recorded in February, March or even in early May.

Subspecies

	Regulus regulus regulus (Linnaeus, 1758) Description. Mantle is olive-green, more dark green; grey on rear-neck less developed than in coatsi. Distribution. Occurs on dispersal and in wintering on Ural valley, in Northern and occasionally in Central Kazakhstan (in particular in Kurgaldzhino Reserve 19 October 1984). At once 2 November 1927 obtained on Syrdarya near Dzhulek.
	Regulus regulus coatsi (Sushkin, 1904) Description. Mantle is lighter, grey on rear-neck more developed than in regulus. Distribution. Probably this race breeds in Western and Southern Altai and also occurs on dispersal and in wintering.
	Regulus regulus tristis (Pleske, 1894) Description. Sharply isolated race. From others subspecies differs by smaller growth and more light tone of yellow spot on crown. At males the orange shade on crown absents or slightly appears, at females the yellow spot strongly reduced and has pale-yellow colour. Black strips on each side of yellow spot developed much more poorly, than in other races, at females the strips very poorly marked or absent. General colour lighter, dull greyish-green. Distribution. Breeding in Tien Shan (Zailiyskiy Alatau, Kungey Alatau, Ketmen ridge) and Dzhungarskiy Alatau. On dispersal and in winter occurs in foothills, and by mountains it run to Western Tien Shan and Tashkent (on Chokpak Pass recorded 23-30 October 1968, 22 October 1971, 13 October 1972, 28 September – 25 October 1973, 6-24 October 2000, 23 October 2002, 20-25 October 2003, 4-22 October 2004). In Karatau (Ertai) eight birds recorded 8th November, 2016 (M.Nukusbekov, birds.kz).

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.