Appearance
It is a robust typical warbler, mainly grey in plumage. Like most "Sylvia" species, it has distinct male and female plumages: The male has the small black cap from which the species gets its name, whereas in the female the cap is brown.
Behavior
This small passerine bird is partially migratory; central and northern European breeders winter in southern Europe and north Africa, where the local populations are resident. It is hardier than most warblers, partly because it will readily eat small berries as well as the more typical warbler diet of insects.
Reproduction
It is a bird of shady woodlands with ground cover for nesting. The nest is built in a low shrub, and 3–6 eggs are laid.
Cultural
The presence and sounds of this bird have since long inspired Italian writers. is the title of one of the most famous poems by Giovanni Pascoli. "Storia di una capinera" is a 1993 movie directed by Franco Zeffirelli and distributed with the international title "Sparrow". The Blackcap is considered a delicacy in some Mediterranean countries where many are illegally trapped and killed every year. The Blackcap's call symbolises St Francis in Messiaen's opera, Saint-François d'Assise.References:
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