adult

adult female European distribution male in bush

Identification

The Blackcap is unmistakeable thanks to the neat black cap of the male or the reddish brown cap of the female enlivening an otherwise dull grey body.

Habitat

Breeds in wooded areas with thick undergrowth. Winters in parks and gardens.

Migration

Most European populations migrate south or west to winter on either side of the Mediterranean and their places are taken in many areas by Blackcaps from northern and central Europe. Some of the birds from central Europe are increasingly migrating west, rather than south, and wintering in the British Isles.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Blackcap is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

undisc. site, Warks 01/09/2010	Brownsea Is., Dorset 31/08/2010	Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk 27/08/2010	Chandler's Ford, Hants 20/08/2010	Fressingfield, Suffolk 18/08/2010
Rostherne Mere (PERMIT ONLY), Cheshire 07/08/2010	Sheffield, S Yorks 13/06/2010	Brodick, Arran, Clyde Is. 18/07/2010	Brodick, Arran, Clyde Is. 18/07/2010	Boat of Garten, Highland 31/07/2010

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Blackcap breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Azores
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Britain
Bulgaria
Canary Islands
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lichtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madeira
Moldova
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

http://www.avibirds.com/euhtml/Blackcap.html   Avibirds: Blackcap	Edit this link
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLkBVToXR9I   Blackcap singing	Edit this link
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BTO BirdFacts: Blackcap	Edit this link
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	Wintering Blackcaps – Where Do They Come From and Why?	Monday 13th January 2003
	Stuart Bearhop reveals that wintering Blackcaps are not a recent phenomenon and explains where our wintering birds come from and why. He also points out that wintering birds are not the rarity that many of us think they are.

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