goldcrests
Europe's smallest birds
Goldcrests are tiny songbirds found across Europe and Asia, among the smallest birds on the continent.
They take their name from the bright yellow or orange stripe on the crown of the head—a feature that resembles a small golden crest.
A goldcrest flitted through the spruce branches.
Bird's lightweight covering
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
- songbirdMelodious perching avian
- warblerSmall melodious bird
- kingletTiny crested passerine
ornithology · beak · nesting · fledgling · roosting · perching · chirping · wingbeat
Extremely small in size
- diminutiveVery small, or nickname form
- minusculeExtremely small in size
- smallestLeast in dimension
- lightweightLacking mass or importance
delicate · dainty · wee · little · miniature · compact · featherweight · gram
Overhead protective covering
- treetopUppermost branches
- coniferCone-bearing tree
- spruceNeat; also a conifer
- pineCone-bearing evergreen
fir · woodland · forest · hedgerow · thicket · undergrowth · nesting · breeding
Sovereign's ornamental headpiece
- stripeContrasting linear marking
- yellowHue between green and orange
- orangeCitrus with segments
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
display · crest · coloring · marking · identification · male · female · distinctive
Movement to new territory
- flywaysAerial migration corridors
- autumnPost-summer cooling period
- springRecoiling metal spiral
- seasonalRecurring at fixed intervals
journey · navigation · southward · northward · passage · overwinter · stopover · dispersal
Six-legged arthropods
- spidersWeb-spinning eight-legged creatures
- caterpillarsLarval moths or butterflies
- aphidsSap-feeding garden insects
- larvaeImmature metamorphosing creatures
beetles · moths · gleaning · invertebrates · prey · feeding · arthropods · branches
feathers
Bird's lightweight covering
kinglet · ornithology · beak · nesting · fledgling · roosting · perching · chirping · wingbeat · twitcher
tiny
Extremely small in size
- diminutiveVery small, or nickname form
- minusculeExtremely small in size
- smallestLeast in dimension
lightweight · delicate · dainty · wee · little · miniature · compact · featherweight · gram · petite
canopy
Overhead protective covering
pine · fir · woodland · forest · hedgerow · thicket · undergrowth · nesting · breeding · territory
crown
Sovereign's ornamental headpiece
plumage · display · crest · coloring · marking · identification · male · female · distinctive · bright
migration
Movement to new territory
seasonal · journey · navigation · southward · northward · passage · overwinter · stopover · dispersal · breeding grounds
insects
Six-legged arthropods
- spidersWeb-spinning eight-legged creatures
- caterpillarsLarval moths or butterflies
- aphidsSap-feeding garden insects
larvae · beetles · moths · gleaning · invertebrates · prey · feeding · arthropods · branches · twigs
goldcrestsostriches
Largest living birds
emus · cassowaries · albatrosses · condors · emperor penguins