Template:POTD/2020-07-24
The goldcrest (Regulus regulus) is a passerine bird in the kinglet family, Regulidae. It occurs in mature lowland and mountain coniferous woodlands and has a wide range which extends from Iceland, the Canary Islands and Western Europe through southern Siberia to Sakhalin, Japan and Central China. It has olive-green upperparts, buff-white underparts, two white wing bars, and a plain face with conspicuous black irises. The black crown has a distinctive yellow crest with an orange centre in the male while the female's crest is pure yellow; in other respects the sexes are similar. It is the smallest European bird, with a weight of 4.5–7.0 g (0.16–0.25 oz). This picture shows a female goldcrest photographed in Lancashire, England.Photograph credit: Francis C. Franklin