Common Firecrest - Status

Status

The Common Firecrest expanded its range in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, colonising northern France, followed by first breeding in the Netherlands in 1928 and Denmark in 1961. In Britain, it had only been recorded a handful of times by 1839, but first bred in 1962, and is now widespread as a breeding bird in much of southern England. Milder winters have meant that more birds can winter further north, and therefore the breeding range can expand without incurring the risks involved in lengthy migrations. A population was found in northern Morocco in 1986.

Population growth may be limited by lack of suitable habitat, and there may be local declines due to loss of conifers through storms or replacement by plantations of native deciduous trees. There may also be localised losses in areas of high heavy metal pollution, which particularly affects ground feeders like thrushes and conifer foliage gleaners, including both European Regulus species. Conifer specialists suffer from the loss and poor quality of needles, and the consequent decrease in abundance of their invertebrate food. The Common Firecrest has a large range and a population estimated at 10–30 million individuals, most in Europe. The population is believed to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or serious threats, and it is therefore classed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.