# Common Firecrest (*Regulus ignicapilla*) The Common Firecrest is a tiny bird with a bright orange crown on its head. It loves to flit around in trees and is often found in forests, singing sweet songs. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Common Firecrest](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Regulus_ignicapilla_Frank_Vassen.jpg&width=800) Photo: Frank Vassen, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Regulus_ignicapilla_Frank_Vassen.jpg) ## Appearance The Common Firecrest has a striking fiery orange-yellow crest bordered by black stripes on its olive-green head. Its white supercilium, black eye-stripe, and bronze shoulders differentiate it from other small songbirds. It also features a pale belly and dark wings with two white wing bars. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Regulidae - **Genus:** Regulus ## Interesting facts - Even though tiny, firecrests can lay up to 12 eggs in one clutch! - Their fiery head stripe looks like a tiny crown, making them truly regal! - Their nest is like a tiny, cozy cup held together with spider silk! - They often join other small birds to search for food in big groups! ## Special abilities - **Agile Acrobat:** Common Firecrest has incredible agility that helps them hover and hang upside down to forage on the undersides of leaves. - **Whispering Communicator:** Common Firecrest has very high-pitched calls and songs that help them communicate without attracting larger predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 9-10 cm - **Wingspan:** 13-16 cm - **Weight:** 0.004-0.007 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-3 years - **Speed:** 25 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 7-12 - **Incubation:** 14-16 days ## Diet & Feeding Tiny insects, spiders, and their eggs are a Firecrest's favorite snack! - **Primary Foods:** Spiders, Aphids, Caterpillars, Insect eggs, Small beetles - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — hunts small birds in their forest habitat. - **Shelter:** [Scots Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scots-pine) (*Pinus sylvestris*) — builds their mossy nests among its needles. - **Shelter:** [Norway Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/norway-spruce) (*Picea abies*) — forages among the dense foliage for insects. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Firecrest? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Common Firecrest? 9-10 cm ### What is Common Firecrest's wingspan? 13-16 cm ### How much does Common Firecrest weigh? 0.004-0.007 kg ### How long does Common Firecrest live? 2-3 years ### How fast can Common Firecrest move? 25 km/h ### What does Common Firecrest eat? Tiny insects, spiders, and their eggs are a Firecrest's favorite snack! ### Where is Common Firecrest usually found? Forests ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Common Firecrest: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-firecrest)