Black-bordered coloured crown
Yellow, with visible orange centre in male.
Goldcrest
Regulus regulus • Çalıkuşu
KUŞ ATLASI SESLİ REHBERİ
Çalıkuşu
1. Tanım
Dinlemeye başlamak için oynat düğmesine dokunun.
Biological data
Length
male9 cm
female9 cm
Wingspan
male14 cm
female14 cm
Weight
male5,4 g
female5,2 g
Species Information
Turkish Name
Çalıkuşu
English Name
Goldcrest
Scientific Name
Regulus regulus
Order
Passeriformes
Family
IUCN Status
LC
• Least Concern
Morphological Traits & Appearance
Quick Identification
Goldcrest is a minute, round-bodied olive bird with a black-bordered yellow crown stripe, a plain pale face, two restrained pale wingbars and a small dark wing panel. Males have an orange centre within the yellow crown; females have yellow. The key distinction from Common Firecrest is the plain face: Goldcrest lacks Firecrest's long white supercilium and black eye-stripe. Confirm the plain face, crown, wing pattern, thin voice and active foraging behaviour together.
General Appearance and Posture
The neck looks absent, bill is needle-fine and tail short. Upperparts are olive-green, underparts pale buff-grey, wings and tail dark brown. Birds flick constantly through conifer tips, hang at odd angles and hover briefly. Plumage wear alters wingbar strength. The round dark eye and its fine pale eye-ring stand out on the otherwise plain face.
Male, Female and Young Birds
Adult body plumage is similar. A clearly seen orange crown centre supports male; an apparently yellow-only crown does not prove female when feathers are closed or the angle is poor. Juveniles initially lack the coloured crown and look plain-headed, retaining tiny proportions and wing pattern. BTO gives 6–8 eggs, female-only incubation for 16–19 days and fledging at about 16.5–18 days.
Appearance in Flight
Flight is quick, fluttering and weak-looking between branches. Above, olive upperparts, dark wings and restrained pale bars can be seen; below, the body and underwing are plain pale without a unique patch. Neither surface separates Firecrest safely. Never flush this energy-limited bird for another angle.
Voice and Behaviour
Calls are very thin, high repeated notes; song is a high accelerating series with a short flourish. Some observers cannot hear the highest frequencies. Birds glean tiny arthropods from conifer needles, hang below twigs and hover. In winter they may join mixed-species flocks and move into parks or gardens.
Confusable Species
Common Firecrest has a bold white supercilium, black eye-stripe and much more contrasting face. Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler are larger, longer and lack a black-bordered crown stripe. Pallas's Leaf Warbler has a strong supercilium, crown stripe, rump patch and stronger wing pattern. Use plain face, crown, double wingbar, size, voice and conifer-tip behaviour together. Never open hanging branches to find the suspended nest.
Scientific taxonomy and conservation references: Bibliography
Compare with another species
Goldcrest field guide
Turkey
Field Guide for Turkey
First check in 3 seconds
Never decide from one signLook for all three signs together
The face stays plain
No long white brow and black mask.
Two pale wingbars
Together with a dark panel and tiny body.
Compare male and femaleDrag the slider
Male has an orange crown centre and female yellow; closed feathers or poor angle hide orange, so absence does not prove female.
The landing view matters more than flightFlight clue
Upper surface supportive; underwing not diagnosticShort fluttering flight does not separate the two Regulus; inspect plain face and crown after landing.
Not sufficient on its own. Never flush in cold; underwing or one crown colour is not conclusive.
This month
Where to look in Turkey now
When can it be seen?
Monthly cards show the broad field expectation; timing may vary locally and between years.
January
Never flush in cold
February
Do not assign origin to a winter bird
March
One song is not breeding proof
April
Never lift hanging branches
May
Do not wait below a nest tree
June
Never remove a fledgling
July
Do not follow family groups
August
Record voice in mixed flocks
September
One record does not define a route
October
Do not assign foreign rings locally
November
A park record is not breeding
December
Avoid sustained playback
Where should you search?
Scan the wider area first and do not approach possible nest sites.
Spruce and fir
Dense hanging branches for prey and nest.
Mixed mountain forest
Conifer component and varied canopy layers.
Winter park and garden
Temporary feeding in dense conifers.
Confusion species
Judge the complete structure and pattern, not one colour alone.
Common Firecrest
Regulus ignicapilla- Face
- Long white brow and black eye-stripe.
- Neck
- Brighter yellow-green side patch.
- Goldcrest
- Face is plainer and softer.
Common Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybita- Size
- Larger and longer.
- Crown
- No coloured black-bordered stripe.
- Wing
- No strong double bars.
Pallas's Leaf Warbler
Phylloscopus proregulus- Face
- Strong supercilium.
- Pattern
- Crown stripe and rump patch.
- Record
- Rare; needs strong documentation.
Breeding and nest
Nest site, eggs and incubation are summarised together.
- 1NestDeep cup suspended below a hanging conifer branch.
- 2EggsUsually 6–8; observed 2–12.
- 3IncubationFemale, typically 16–19 days.
- 4YoungAltricial; fledge in about 16.5–18 days.
- 5ObservationNever lift branches; retreat at alarm or food carrying.
How should you listen?
Use rhythm and repetition together with visual identification.
Audio recordings
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Ornithological Field Guide Plate & Diagnostic Features
Tap a number: the bird turns to the diagnostic angle, the field mark is highlighted, and every feature is explained in the panel beside it.
Compare Species
Field Identification Standard
Identification Point: 1 / 5
Perched stance
Goldcrest ID lock complete — all key marks checked.
1. Yellow crown stripe framed in black
A yellow stripe runs down the crown centre between two black lateral lines; males show an orange core, females plain yellow. The stripe narrows forward and does not reach the forehead.
Key Field Mark:
A yellow crown stripe bounded by black lines is the Goldcrest crown lock.
Plumage and Age Note:
Juveniles have no crown stripe yet and show a plain olive-green head.
Similar Species:
Firecrest: adult male crown stripe is flame-orange and the bird additionally shows a bold white supercilium and black eye-stripe.
Look-alikes & confusion species
Field-guide thumbnails of species most often confused with Goldcrest. Open a box to compare.
Kinglets (Regulidae) — 2 species
All species in this family in the atlas.