The flamecrest, also known as the Taiwan firecrest, is a species of bird in the kinglet family Regulidae. It is endemic to the mountains of Taiwan.
Region
Taiwan Central Mountain Range
Typical Environment
Occurs in high-elevation coniferous and mixed forests dominated by fir, hemlock, spruce, and juniper, often with dense bamboo undergrowth. It breeds in dense conifer stands and frequents forest edges, clearings, and subalpine scrub. In winter it may move slightly downslope into mixed broadleaf–conifer habitats while remaining in montane zones. It is most numerous in cool, moist, mature forests with abundant moss and epiphytes.
Altitude Range
2000–3700 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the Taiwan firecrest, this tiny kinglet is confined to Taiwan’s high mountains. It was long treated as a subspecies of the Eurasian firecrest but is now widely recognized as a distinct species. Males can dramatically raise their fiery orange crest during display. It often joins mixed-species foraging flocks with tits and yuhinas.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Very restless canopy and mid-story forager, often in small parties. Outside the breeding season it joins mixed-species flocks with tits and other montane passerines. Nests are intricately woven, mossy cups suspended from conifer branches.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
High, thin, rapid series of see-see or tsee notes delivered in accelerating trills. Calls are very high-pitched and can be hard to hear, often given while actively foraging.
Plumage
Olive-green upperparts with two pale wing bars and paler underparts washed olive on the flanks. Bold face pattern with strong white supercilium and black eye-stripe. Crown sports a bright orange (male) to yellow (female) crest bordered by black. Fine, needle-like bill and compact, rounded appearance typical of kinglets.
Diet
Feeds primarily on small arthropods including insects, larvae, and spiders. Gleans prey from conifer needles, twigs, and epiphytes, and occasionally hovers to pick items from foliage. Will sally short distances to snatch flushed prey and probes into moss mats for hidden invertebrates.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the mid to upper canopy of coniferous and mixed montane forests. Often concentrates along edges, gaps, and sunlit crowns where insect activity is higher, and in mossy branches rich in microinvertebrates.
