Kennedy Wild Bird Food Guide to the Goldcrest

The Goldcrest is one of the UK’s smallest birds, along with the Firecrest. However, for such a small creature, there are lots of interesting facts about this yellow and green bird! Discover all there is to know about the this bird in our bird guide.

What does the Goldcrest look like?

The Goldcrest is olive-green in colour with a thin, black bill. It is a small bird weighing around 5-7 grams with has a wingspan between 14 and 15cm. The Goldcrest can be identified by a yellow or orange stripe on its head (depending on the sex). Male Goldcrests have a more orange-coloured stripe, whereas the females are often sporting yellow stripes - both resembling a mohawk haircut! A juvenile is very similar in appearance without the yellow/orange stripe on its head.

What do Goldcrest’s eat?

Goldcrests like to scatter around on the ground, looking for small insects and spiders hiding within bushes, leaves and branches. They prefer to eat insects off the ground but are also known to eat from bird tables and feeders - particularly during the winter months when food is less readily available. If you’d like to feed the Goldcrests and other wild birds in your garden, grab some of our live bird food and peanuts for birds - a nutritionally rich combination that all kinds of birds will love!

What does the Goldcrest sound like?

The Goldcrest's call is a quiet "zi zi zi" sound, whereas its song is much more high pitched. Have a listen to the bird’s call below to see if you’ve heard it before. Click here to listen

The goldcrest’s habitat

The Goldcrest is a resident throughout the UK all year round. They’re even known to join other flocks of small birds during the colder seasons of autumn and winter. During winter, resident Goldcrests are joined by other Goldcrests looking to escape the harsh weather of Scandanavia, Poland and Russia.

Have you seen a Goldcrest in your garden?

Have you seen a green and yellow bird hopping around your garden, scurrying between hedges and trees? Chances are, it was a beautiful Goldcrest bird on the hunt for food. This tiny bird is a known visitor to gardens, woodland and parks throughout the country, from the south coast to Scotland! If you spot a Goldcrest in your garden or local park, don’t forget to log the sighting on our Birdspotter map for others to see!