NON-INDIGENOUS BRITISH BIRDS. 49 



Family PARID.E. Genus Regulus. 



Sub-family REGUIJNM. 



FIRECREST. 



Regulus kjnicapillus {BreJiui). 



(British : Abnormal autumn and winter migrant.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, March to May, according to 



latitude. 



Breeding area : South-west Palaearctic region. 

 The Firecrest is somewhat restricted in its distribution 

 during the breeding season. It breeds locally in the 

 Baltic Provinces (although, according to Herr E. Hartert, 

 there is no record of its occurrence in East Prussia), in 

 Central and Southern Germany, in France, the Spanish 

 Peninsula, various islands in the Mediterranean, Italy, 

 Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, the Danubian Provinces, 

 Turkey, Greece, Southern Russia, and Asia Minor. 

 South of the Mediterranean it breeds commonly in the 

 mountain districts of the Atlas. 



Breeding habits : The Firecrest resembles the 

 Goldcrest very closely in its habits, and to a great 

 extent the haunts of the two species are similar. The 

 favourite breeding places of the Firecrest in Europe are 

 woods and plantations of firs, even small clumps of 

 these trees in gardens and pleasure-grounds being fre- 

 quented. In Algeria, where I met with this species in 

 abundance, its favourite haunts are cedar forests, and 

 the extensive evergreen oak woods that clothe the sides 

 of the mountains. The Firecrest most probably pairs 

 for life, and although a new nest is made each spring, 

 the birds resort to certain trees with much attachment. 

 The bird is sociable enough in autumn and winter, but 

 always breeds in scattered pairs. The nest is like that 



