The Firecrest is one of the smallest and most striking birds you can see in Devon, especially in coniferous woodlands and sheltered coastal forests. This tiny species, often mistaken for a Goldcrest at first glance, has a vivid olive-green body with a bright orange and black-striped crest, and bold white “eyebrows” that give it a surprisingly expressive look for such a small bird. In Devon, it is most likely to be spotted in mature pine plantations and mixed woodland, particularly in quieter areas of places like Dartmoor’s fringes and sheltered valleys, where it flits quickly through the canopy searching for insects. Despite its size—barely heavier than a 20p coin—it is an energetic and resilient species that can be heard before it is seen, with a thin, high-pitched call that carries through the trees.