Print
Ask an expert
12 December 2006
I saw a blackcap in my garden but I thought they were only here in the summer. Was this unusual?
Sent in by John Waites, Farnham
Valerie Osborne, Snr Wildlife Adviser
Valerie answers...
The fluting, melancholy song of the blackcap is one of the finest to be heard in the British countryside during the spring and early summer months.
These master songsters arrive here in spring from southern Europe and North Africa and this is where they will return in the autumn, so where have the blackcaps that spend their winters with us arrived from, and what are they doing here?
We’ve learned from ringing (when birds are trapped by trained volunteers, fitted with lightweight metal leg rings, then released unharmed) that these birds will have bred in central Europe.
Interestingly, it is only since the mid-1960s that these 'continental' blackcaps have been known to winter in the UK, and the reasons are not yet fully understood. One possible suggestion is that the increased popularity of garden feeding and the planting of berry-laden shrubs has made the UK a more attractive winter destination. Another that the westward migration of this central European population is an 'insurance' strategy to ensure the long-term survival of the species.
Whatever the reason, these delightful little warblers are a welcome addition to our winter wildlife.
About Valerie
I have worked in Wildlife Enquiries for almost 20 years but am still amazed at the tremendous variety of queries that come our way. I am not an avid birdwatcher but do study those visiting my garden very closely. I am, however, a keen conservationist and try to do my bit to live a greener life. I love being able to share my knowledge with the people who come to us for advice and information.
Do you have a question for our experts?
Each week we answer one question sent in by our visitors about birds or wildlife. I have a question