Winter recovery in Sweden of a Dutch Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla

Anders Tengholm,Johan Tengholm,Robert Ekblom

doi:10.34080/os.v28.19536

Abstract

In February 2018, a European Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla that had been ringed as a yearling in the Netherlands in the previous autumn was trapped in Uppsala, Sweden (59.8°N). Winter records of Blackcaps are not uncommon in Sweden but this is the first recovery of a bird with documented southern origin. The finding is in line with reports that a relatively high proportion of ringed Blackcaps is recovered in the same autumn north of the ringing site, and that the fraction of short-winged Blackcaps of presumed southern origin increases late in the season at Swedish bird observatories. Although the present record provides evidence that Blackcaps wintering in Sweden may originate from Continental Europe, it appears unlikely that the Blackcap will be able to evolve a new migration pattern, similar to the population of Continental Blackcaps wintering in Britain, because few Blackcaps seem to survive the Swedish winter.

Highlights

The European Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla shows a complex and interesting migration pattern that has been subject to many studies
The majority of the Blackcaps in southern Sweden are believed to spend the winter in the Mediterranean area but birds from middle and northern Scandinavia likely winter in Africa south of Sahara (Fransson & Hall-Karlsson 2008)
There is evidence to suggest that Blackcaps on the European continent show movements in a northwestern to northern direction in the late autumn (Berthold et al 1992, Fransson & Stolt 1993, Bengtsson et al 2009)

Summary

Introduction

The European Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla shows a complex and interesting migration pattern that has been subject to many studies (see e.g. Berthold et al 1992, Fransson & Stolt 1993, Helbig 1994, Bengtsson et al 2009, Hiemer et al 2018). There is an increased number of winter records of Blackcaps in Sweden, where the birds regularly are observed in gardens, often at feeding tables (Fransson & Stolt 1994). There is evidence to suggest that Blackcaps on the European continent show movements in a northwestern to northern direction in the late autumn (Berthold et al 1992, Fransson & Stolt 1993, Bengtsson et al 2009).

Results

Conclusion