Sylvia atricapilla is a widespread breeder across much of Europe, which constitutes >75% of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is extremely large (>25,000,000 pairs), and was stable between 1970-1990. The species underwent a slight increase overall during 1990-2000, with almost all national trends either stable or increasing, including those of key populations in France, Germany, Italy and Russia.

Breeds throughout middle latitudes of west Palearctic in temperate, boreal, and mediterranean climates, oceanic as well as continental. Highly arboreal, preferring to forage and sing in crowns of trees, often in more or less mature forest, although requiring also tall, not too dense shrubby undergrowth, especially for nesting.

Breeds May-Jun in West and North-West Europe, May-July in Finland, Mid April to late July in South West Germany, mid April in South of France, end August to end November in Cape Verde. Nest site is built in low brambles, shrubs, and trees, on branch or among trunk suckers. Less often in creepers, tall herbs, or ferns.
Nest is a finely-constructed cup, often with transparent walls and or bottom, of grass and herb stems and leaves, plus rootlets and small twigs, bound together with spiders' webs and cocoons, lined with finer grasses, rootlets, and hair. 4-6 eggs are laid, incubation 10-16 days, by both parents.

Chiefly insects in breeding season, mainly plant material at other times. in breeding season, mainly picks insects from leaves and twigs, at heights of up to 20 m, not significantly different from feeding height of Garden Warbler.

This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 10,000,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 10,000,000 individuals (Shirihai et al. 2001). Global population trends have not been quantified, but there is evidence of a population increase (Shirihai et al. 2001), and so the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Wide variety of strategies, populations from different parts of range varying from resident to migratory. Populations of Mediterranean and Atlantic islands chiefly resident or presumed resident. Northern and eastern birds wholly migratory, southern birds partially migratory, with most birds north of Mediterranean region leaving breeding area. ,Leap-frog' migrant: northern populations move longest distance, reaching south of winter range, and populations further south apparently move progressively less far. Winters within and south of breeding range, south to sub-Saharan Africa, north to Britain and south-west Norway. Main wintering areas in sub-Saharan Africa: West Africa west of Greenwich meridian; southern Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea; equatorial East Africa south to Lake Nyasa. European populations show migratory divide, those west of 12°E heading chiefly south-west to southern France and Iberia, those east of 12°E chiefly south-east, funnelled from wide area towards Cyprus and Levant; also broad mixed area in central Europe and Scandinavia from which either south-west, south, or south-east heading is possible. Birds wintering in Britain are apparently all from continental Europe. Autumn migration begins chiefly in August. Northern birds leave earlier and migrate faster than southern ones; southern birds tend to leave after passage migrants have passed through. Main movement through northern and central Europe in September, diminishing through October. At British bird observatories, main passage starts late August, and most birds leave by end of September; arrival of winter visitors chiefly October. Spring migration begins early, with prolonged movement late February to May in Egypt and Levant, mid-February to mid-May in Strait of Gibraltar area. Earliest birds reach Britain late March, main arrival late April and early May. Earliest records in Helsinki region (Finland) and Leningrad region (north-west Russia) early May, usually from mid-May.

article number 1 Title
The breeding performance of Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla in two types of forest habitat.
Author(s): Weidinger K. 2000
Abstract: The breeding densi ty of Blackcap was about four times higher in deciduous (D) riparian linear vegetation than in mixed (M) coniferous woodlots in the farmland of Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republi c, ove..[more]..
Source: Ardea 88 : 225-233
download full text (pdf)

article number 10 Title
Is there an autumn migration of continental Blackcaps(Sylvia atricapilla) into northern Europe?
Author(s): Thimi Fransson and Bengt-Olov Stolt
Abstract: All ringing recovencs of Blackcaps in Europe were examined during Northward autumn migration into this area. The result indicates autumn movements.....[more]..
Source: Vogelwarte 37: 89-95
download full text (pdf)

article number 11 Title
HISTORICAL DIVERSIFICATION OF MIGRATION PATTERNS IN A PASSERINE BIRD
Author(s): JAVIER PEREZ-TRIS
Abstract: Migratory strategies of birds require complex orientation mechanisms, morphological adaptations, and lifehistory adjustments. From an evolutionary perspective, it is important to know how fast this co..[more]..
Source: Evolution, 58(8), 2004, pp. 1819-1832
download full text (pdf)

article number 2 Title
Migration and wintering of Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla in Eastern Spain
Author(s): Arantza Leal, Juan S. Monros & Emilio Barba
Abstract: To describe the phenology of migratory passages and wintering of Blackcaps. Location: Orange plantations in eastern Spain. Methods: Data were collected between 1997 and 2002 at a Constant Effort Sit..[more]..
Source: Ardeola 51(2), 2004, 345-355
download full text (pdf)

article number 3 Title
Habitat and nest site preferences of Sylvia atricapilla and S. melanocephala in Majorca
Author(s): Thomas Schafer & Andreas Barkow
Abstract: Sylvia melanocephala (S. m.) and S. atricapilla (S. a.) are common in woody habitats of the western Mediterranean. Nevertheless, detailed information on habitat and particularly nest site preferences ..[more]..
Source: Ardeola 51(2), 2004, 445-450
download full text (pdf)

article number 4 Title
Spatial behaviour of first-year Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) during the pre-migratory period and during autumn migratory stopovers
Author(s): Nikita Chernetsov
Abstract: The spatial distribution of Blackcaps (Syh.'ia atricapilla) was studied on the basis of ringing recaptures during the post-fledging period and during autumn migratory stopovers on the Courish Spit of ..[more]..
Source: J. Ornithol. 143, 424-429 (2002)
download full text (pdf)

article number 5 Title
Signals of profitability? Food colour preferences in migrating juvenile blackcaps differ for fruits and insects.
Author(s): G. Gamberale-Stille, K. S. S. Hall & B. S. Tullberg
Abstract: Red is a common colour signal in both aposematic warning displays, and in fruit displays. One common feature is that red is conspicuous against the natural background of the prey and fruits. However, ..[more]..
Source: Evol Ecol (2007) 21:99-108
download full text (pdf)

article number 6 Title
Birds and rodents destroy different nests: a study of Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla using the removal of nest concealment
Author(s): VLADIMÍR REMES
Abstract: Nest predation is a major factor limiting the reproductive output of small passerines (Ricklefs 1969). Thus, selecting safe nest-sites is critically important for these birds. Nest concealment can inh..[more]..
Source: Ibis 147 (1), 213-216.
download full text (pdf)

article number 7 Title
Are blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla differential distance migrants by sex?
Author(s): Paulo CATRY, Miguel LECOQ, Greg CONWAY, Marcial FELGUEIRAS, J. Michael B. KING and Salima HAMIDI
Abstract: The extent of movements of male and female British blackcaps were analysed using ringing recovery records. Furthermore, through a literature review and the collection of original field data, the sex-r..[more]..
Source: Ardeola, 53(1),june 2006, 31-38
download full text (pdf)

article number 8 Title
Migratory fuelling in blackcaps [Sylvia atricapilla)under perceived risk of predation
Author(s): Thord Fransson . Thomas P. Weber
Abstract: It has been argued that the body mass levels achieved by birds are determined by the trade-off be-tween risks of starvation and predation. Birds have also been found to reduce body mass in response to..[more]..
Source: Behav Ecol Sociobiol (1997) 41: 75-80
download full text (pdf)

article number 9 Title
Impaired Predator Evasion in Fat Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla)
Author(s): Cecilia Kullberg, Thord Fransson and Sven Jakobsson
Abstract: When birds are attacked by predators, take-off ability is crucial for the chance of survival. Recently, theoretical studies have predicted that predation risk in terms of reduced flight performance in..[more]..
Source: Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 22 December 1996 vol. 263 no. 1377 1671-1675
download full text (pdf)