The blackcap is one of the larger warblers to be found in the Highlands and they are one of the easiest to identify. The male has grey brown upper parts, ash grey underparts and a jet black crown and forehead extending down to the level of the eye. The female is browner above and brown grey below and in contrast to the male the cap is reddish-brown and just as conspicuous. Young that were hatched this year are like a duller version of the adult females but in winter some of the black feathers on the crown of the male will appear. This is a very active warbler but it is difficult to observe as it normally stays within cover although in the summer its sweet and melodious song gives it away.
A hundred years ago the blackcap was reasonably common in southern parts but only extended as far north as the southern edge of the Highlands. This is perhaps the reason for the bird having no Scottish names although it has a Gaelic one ‘Ceann-dubh’ meaning black head. Then in the early 1970s the birds started breeding further north and it now breeds all the way down the Great Glen and it also occurs along the west coast. There are still very few records for the northern counties such as Caithness and Sutherland, or the Western and Northern Isles. This is not surprising as the birds favour mature, deciduous or mixed woodland that has to have a good shrub cover but apart from the general countryside this type of area is also found in estate policies and parks. The increase in numbers and the spread of its range means that this is one of the most successful warblers in Britain although nobody quite knows why.
Another mystery with this bird is linked to its food as during the summer months they are more than content, like other warblers, to feed on insects and caterpillars. However the beak of the blackcap is stouter that most other warblers which means it can take other food and during the winter it will take berries such as honeysuckle, holly, ivy, yew and rowan. This has meant that over the years the few birds that decided to stay and over – winter were able to survive as long as the weather was not severe. The increasing habit of feeding birds in gardens has also helped and it was not long before they took to peanuts. To see a warbler on the bird table in the middle of winter is always a surprise and a delight. The gradual increase in such birds, they are mainly records of single birds, was put down to global warming and breeding birds just staying. Ringing has now shown that these are not our breeding birds but birds from the continent. At first these wintering blackcaps did not fare well as they could not cope with the weather but with mild winters for some years it looks as though the birds are here to stay – at least for the winter months. If you want to see blackcaps this winter then try to attract them to a garden with a variety of seed, including peanuts and sunflower hearts, plus a bird cake mix using beef or lamb suet or a cake mix including sultanas and currents. They will even go for apples cut in two and placed on the ground. The only problem with this garden feeding is that blackcaps seem to be particularly susceptible to domestic cats so good cover near any garden feeding station is essential.