Predators and Parasites
The limited species diversity of Madeira means that there are relatively few potential predators. Of the three birds of prey, the Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel take mainly mammalian prey; however, the dark Macaronesian subspecies of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus granti, is a specialist predator of woodland birds.
Other than bats, there are no native land mammals, although there are a number of introduced species, two of which will take birds or chicks. These are Brown Rats and feral domestic cats. Even the high mountain nest sites of the endangered Zino's Petrel are at risk from these predators.
Data on specific parasites of the Madeira Firecrest is lacking, but the widespread flea Dasypsyllus gallinulae has been recorded in a related Regulus species, and significant infection by non-native pathogens such as avian pox and avian malaria has been detected in another Macaronesian bird, the Berthelot's Pipit.
Read more about this topic: Madeira Firecrest
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