The Smallest Bird in Europe Captured by a Photographer in Shushensky Bor

Фото: Татьяны Сашко

In the Perovsky forestry of the Shushensky Bor National Park, photographer and birdwatcher Tatyana Sashko took unique pictures of a goldcrest (lat. Regulus regulus), a small songbird of the kinglet family.

As reported by the national park, this is the smallest representative of the avifauna in Europe and Russia. Its weight is only 5-6 grams. A distinctive feature of the goldcrest is a bright golden-yellow stripe on the head, the so-called crown, thanks to which the bird acquired its scientific and Russian name (the Russian word for “goldcrest” is “korolek” which is a derivative of the word “korol’” meaning “king”).

For the Shushensky Bor, the goldcrest is a rare nomadic species. The ornithologists and park staff do not encounter them every year. And even in those years when flocks of these birds linger for a short time in the forest, it is rather difficult to capture them, because in addition to their tiny size, they are exceptionally mobile.

"Goldcrests are constantly flitting from branch to branch, not staying for a long time in one place, and they often stay high in dense crowns, where it is difficult to distinguish them with the naked eye. You can only hear their quiet singing from above. Therefore, these pictures can be called a great success of the photographer,” say the park experts.