Eurasian Blackcap
Song & Calls

Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)

Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) Photo credit: Vishnevskiy Vasily / shutterstock.com

Blackcaps are a vocal species of warbler and their sweet melodious song is a common sound of spring and summer in their breeding grounds. The song of the Blackcap consists of rich scratchy, squeaky whistled phrases and sounds somewhat similar to the song of Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin).  Males often sing from a concealed perch in the midstorey of trees or shrubs. Blackcaps also make a variety of other calls including short harsh ‘tak’ contact notes.

The Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) [also known as Eurasian Blackcap or Blackcap Warbler] is a medium-sized, chunky warbler which breeds throughout Europe and in parts of western Asia. This species is common in much of its range, and inhabits woodlands, scrubby habitats and gardens.

Listen to Eurasian Blackcap Song

The audio in the video below was recorded in spring in the Sierra de las Nieves, Andalucia, Spain and features the song of the Blackcap in the foreground, along with a variety of other species heard in the background. The common name for this species in Spanish is Curruca Capirotada.
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Eurasian Blackcap – Typical song

 XC184051 This audio sample features the typical song of a Blackcap recorded in spring in Essex, UK.

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