- Sylvia atricapilla
Description
This is a female. Males have a Black cap.
Identification
Widespread and generally abundant in the Region. Breeds in the British Is (except western Ireland and northern Scotland), and from Iberia and France east to the Urals. Range extends to 70�N in coastal Norway, to the head of the Gulf of Bothnia in Sweden, southern Finland and almost to the White Sea in Russia. In the south found as far as southern Spain, the Balearics, Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily, Italy, Greece and northern Turkey east to the Caucasus. Also breeds on the Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands and in northern parts of Morocco and Algeria.
Birds from central Europe eastwards and north to Scandinavia are migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and in western Europe from Britain southwards, around the Mediterranean and in North Africa. Western and southern birds are resident or partially migratory, incidence of wintering is increasing in Britain and North-West Europe. Most British birds migratory, arriving in Apr-May and departing Aug-Sep with variable but generally small numbers wintering.
Vagrants have been recorded in Iceland.
Subspecies Nominate race occurs over much of Europe with dammholzi in the Caucasus, greyer above, whiter below and paler crown in female. In the Mediterranean pauluccii is found on the Balearics, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Italy and Tunisia, also greyer above but darker below. Race heineken is found in western Iberia, NW Africa and on Madeira and Canary Is, darker and smaller than nominate, especially on Madeira. Race gularis from Azores and Cape Verde Is is very similar to nominate differing only in minor measurements.
Habitat Deciduous, mixed and in some areas, coniferous, forest and woodland with tall shrubs, sometimes in scrub with taller trees nearby. Also in parks, large gardens and orchards. In winter occurs in a wide range of habitats with trees and bushes and a frequent visitor to garden birdtables in parts of Europe.
Bird Song
<flashmp3>Sylvia atricapilla (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
