As well as the blackbird, robin, wren and goldfinch, there is another very tuneful warbler, the blackcap.
Photo: wikimedia commons, quoted on community rspb
Only the male blackcap has a black cap. The female's headgear is chestnut brown.
Photo: Chris Romeiks
The birds that breed here in summer spend the winter in Southern Europe or North Africa. But in recent years, when they are away south, we get a different population of blackcaps in winter from Eastern Europe, especially Germany.
The male blackcap builds several nests and waits till his mate approves one of them by adding nesting material herself. They both incubate the eggs but only the female does so at night. They feed their chicks on caterpillars and craneflies.
The song is one of my favourites. Fluty like a blackbird but less organised. The alarm call is a tut-tutting cry.
Listen to Maurice Baker's youtube video here
It's 4 minutes long so although it would be good practice you might not want to listen to it all. The alarm call is at 1.40 and you can see both sexes together at 3.35.
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