Fairly common to common in coniferous and mixed woodland, forest, plantations, and gardens with conifers; migrants show up in hedgerows and areas without conifers. In autumn–winter, often travels with foraging flocks of tits and other small woodland birds. Inconspicuous but active, often high in the canopy. Tiny: smaller than warblers, with distinctive combination of black-edged, golden crown stripe, big dark eye giving impression of "innocent" face; also note white wingbar offset by black wing patch.