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Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) Alternate name(s): "Blackcap" German name(s): "Mönchsgrasmücke" Size: 13-14.5 cm; wing span: 20-23 cm Body mass: 14-25 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.13-0.22

Europe: Family Group 21 Family Group 21 Table European Pied Flycatcher Collared Flycatcher Semicollared Flycatcher Spotted Flycatcher Red-breasted Flycatcher Lesser Whitethroat Common Whitethroat Western Orphean Warbler Western Subalpine Warbler Dartford Warbler Sardinian Warbler Barred Warbler Eurasian Blackcap Garden Warbler Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Eurasian Blackcaps are small insectivore birds. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are slightly different. Both sexes have a light-grey front and a somewhat darker, brownish-grey back. The irises are dark; the slender, straight bill, the legs and feet are all grey. The lower half of the eyes is surrounded by a narrow white semi-circle. The only difference between the sexes is that male Eurasian Blackcaps have black caps, while females have brown caps. Juvenile birds resemble females, with a horn-coloured bill and a shorter tail.

Taxonomy, classification See Eurasian Blackcap at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Eurasian Blackcap is available HERE . There are 5 extant races of Eurasian Blackcaps, which are a partly sedentary, partly migratory species. Their range of permanent residency ranges from a narrow coastal margin in NW Africa to basically the western half of Europe and throughout the northern Mediterranean, up to Cyprus, with separate resident populations on the Azores, the Cape Verdian islands and the Canarian islands. Migratory populations spend the winters in western Africa, both northward and to the South of the Sahara desert, in eastern Africa (along the river Nile and southward through the Ethiopian highlands to areas around Lake Victoria, as far as northern Tanzania) and parts of the eastern Mediterranean coastline. The breeding range of migratory Eurasian Blackcaps extends from the eastern half of central Europe to the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and from the southern half of Scandinavia (except the highest mountain regions) to central Asia. In Europe Eurasian Blackcaps, nominate race "atricapilla", are permanent residents throughout the western Mediterranean (except south-western Iberia, but including all of Italy and associated islands), central Europe westward of the river Rhine (except far northern Ireland and Scotland), Denmark and small coastal areas in southern Norway. They are also present all year round in near-coastal parts of Greece. Race "heineken" is resident in south-western Iberia. Anywhere else, apart from the northern half of Scandinavia, where the species is not found, Eurasian Blackcaps, race "atricapilla", are summer breeding migrants. Eurasian Blackcaps have a strong preference for mature decidious woodland, especially during the breeding season, but they can also be found in gardens.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "atricapilla" M. Thomas reports spotting Eurasian Blackcaps, nominate race "atricapilla", in Eltville, Hessen, Germany, in June 2018. D. Wilczynska found a Eurasian Blackcaps, race "atricapilla", near Brok, Masovia, Poland, in May 2020. G. Normand reports spotting a Eurasian Blackcap, race "atricapilla", in Villeneuve-Loubet, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France, in February 2021. H. Dahlem-Senger reports finding Eurasian Blackcaps, race "atricapilla", semi-regularly in and around Eltville, Hessen, Germany. H. Dahlem-Senger also spotted Eurasian Blackcaps, race "atricapilla", at Port Vell, Costa dels Pins, Mallorca, Spain, in May 2023. A. Sarok reports finding Eurasian Blackcaps, race "atricapilla", in Vojvodina, Serbia, in the timeframe 2010-2024. Race "heineken" J. Pires reports finding Eurasian Blackcaps, race "heineken", semi-regularly in the area around Mora, Coruche and Montargil, in southern/central Portugal. Others were found at Vilarelhos, Alfandega da Fe, Tras-os-Montes, Norte, Portugal, in January 2023, and at Moreanes, near Mertola, Alentejo, Portugal, in February 2023. Race "pauluccii" M. Eaton reports finding Eurasian Blackcaps, race "pauluccii", in Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, in September 2019. J. Pires reports finding Eurasian Blackcaps, race "pauluccii", in Casa de Campo, Madrid, Spain, in December 2019.

Photos

Race "atricapilla"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal/ventral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap issuing its call (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Between Walluf and Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2022]

Near-frontal view of a male Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Near-lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap, left, with a dependent juvenile, right (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, June 2018]

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Dorsal view of a male Eurasian Blackcap looking sideways (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Eurasian Blackcap looking at the observer (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, November 2022]

Male Eurasian Blackcap, left, feeding a dependent juvenile, right; note the stubby tail of the young bird
(photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, June 2018]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, June 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, May 2024]

Race "heineken"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Eurasian Blackcap looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2025]

Partly obscured frontal view of a male Eurasian Blackcap looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira de Vilarelhos, Alfandega da Fe, Braganca, Portugal, January 2022]

Near-frontal view of a male Eurasian Blackcap looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2019]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira de Vilarelhos, Alfandega da Fe, Braganca, Portugal, January 2023]

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vilarelhos, Alfandega da Fe, Tras-os-Montes, Norte, Portugal, January 2023]

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2023]

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap issuing its call (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap with its crest erected (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a singing male Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2018]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2020]

Frontal view of a female Eurasian Blackcap looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira de Vilarelhos, Alfandega da Fe, Braganca, Portugal, January 2022]

Near-frontal view of a female Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2015]

Near-frontal view of a female Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2020]

Lateral view of a female Eurasian Blackcap looking at the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Evora, Portugal, February 2020]

Lateral view of a female Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2021]

Lateral view of a female Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2015]

Lateral view of a female Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2015]

Lateral view of a female Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2015]

Near-dorsal view of a female Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a female Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Barragem da Vilarica, Alfandega da Fe, Tras os Montes, Portugal, December 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a female Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2017]

Dorsal view of a female Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a female Eurasian Blackcap in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Moreanes, near Mertola, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

PAIR

Although not in one photo, these two Eurasian Blackcaps were found together; lateral views of a male, top, and female, bottom (photos courtesy of J. Pires)
[Madeira, Portugal, November 2022]

Race "pauluccii"

ADULT

MALE

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap looking away from the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Eurasian Blackcap taking a berry (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Casa de Campo, Madrid, Spain, December 2019]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Partially migratory

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

In the southern and western parts of their European range, Eurasian Blackcaps are sedentary. In northern and eastern Europe they are migratory.

Food, Diet

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap going for a big meal (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Vojvodina, Serbia, date unknown]

Lateral view of a male Eurasian Blackcap with its meal (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, March 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a male Eurasian Blackcap taking a blackberry (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a female Eurasian Blackcap taking a berry (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Casa de Campo, Madrid, Spain, December 2019]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

blakcap_dw_20200531.m4a	atricapilla (Poland)	Territorial calls	© DW
blakcap_jp_20200531.m4a	heineken (Portugal)	Territorial call	© JP
blakcap_jp_20180422.m4a	heineken (Portugal)	Territorial call	© JP
blakcap_jp_20200428_3.m4a	heineken (Portugal)	Territorial call	© JP
blakcap_jp_20200418.m4a	heineken (Portugal)	Territorial calls	© JP
blakcap_jp_20230222.mp3	heineken (Portugal)	Territorial calls	© JP
blakcap_jp_20200428_2.m4a	heineken (Portugal)	Territorial calls	© JP
blakcap_jp_20190412.m4a	heineken (Portugal)	Territorial calls (Q&A)	© JP
blakcap_jp_20190528.m4a	heineken (Portugal)	Territorial calls (+ Eurasian Wren, Short-toed Treecreeper)	© JP
blakcap_jp_20200428.m4a	heineken (Portugal)	Alarm calls	© JP

More Eurasian Blackcap sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

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