Wintering Blackcaps in Britain and Ireland

Abstract

Despite the severity of the 1978/79 winter, at least 1,714 Blackcaps were reported during a special survey; these were heavily concentrated in western and south-western counties. An increase over recent decades in the numbers of Blackcaps wintering in Britain and Ireland is correlated with expansion of north European breeding populations and with a rise in numbers of autumn migrants passing through British east coast bird observatories. Successful overwintering here is attributed to the way the birds have adapted to taking artificial foods at garden bird tables.