Blackcap

    Sylvia atricapilla

Castilian: Curruca capirotada

Catalan: Tallarol de casquet

Gallego: Papuxa das amoras

Euskera: Txinbo kaskabeltza

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Passeriformes

Family: Sylviidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Of Special Interest” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

It is a very common species, without significant threats, although it can be affected by pesticides and the destruction of groves in the countryside.

Length / size: 13 cm / 20-23 cm

Identification: Medium-sized warbler with a robust appearance and a mostly greyish colour. The male has a black pointed hood, while the female's is brown, in addition to a reddish colour present on her wings and belly area.

Song: Its call is an insistent "chek-chek". Its song is melodious and varied, consisting of verses with some sections that are fast and other that are slower and flutier.

Diet: It feeds on invertebrates, especially during mating season, complementing its diet in autumn and winter with a wide variety of fruits.

Reproduction: The breeding period begins in April. The male begins to prepare several nests, from which the female will choose one and will finish it. The nest has a small bowl shape, and is made of twigs and covered with hair and feathers, and it positioned at a low height, hidden among thick vegetation. Both parents incubate the eggs and care for the chicks.

HABITAT

It prefers wet forest environments, with well-developed undergrowth and the presence of clearings. It also appears in gardens and parks.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It is widely distributed throughout the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands, and the western Canary Islands.

In Castile and León: It is distributed throughout all the provinces, with the highest densities in León, Zamora and Salamanca.

Movements and migrations: We find trans-Saharan migrant populations in northern and central Europe, residents in almost all of Spain and partial migrants in the transition zones; in other words, in the northern peninsula and central Europe. Their wintering areas are located in the Mediterranean region, the Balearic Islands, the souther Iberian Peninsula, and northern Africa. The prenuptial passage takes place between February and April, and the postnuptial between September and November.

POPULATION

In Spain: There are no specific numbers, but it is estimated that there are 500000 to 1 million breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: