Cyprus -Nature- Birds - The Black Cap

Belongs to the Sylviidae family. Although the name of this bird is quite familiar, only residents of the area where it lives have seen it. It is known in Greek as "ampelourgos" and in the Cypriot dialect as "ampelopouli" (bird of the vineyards) but also as "sykallidi" (from the Greek word "syko"= fig), because from August to October it feeds busily on figs more than grapes. However, its main activity in the vineyards is catching the myriad of insects among the fruit and foliage. The Blackcap is a dull-plumaged bird, greyish olive above, pale grey below with a faint olive wash on the flanks. The male has a very distinctive black cap, hence the name, whereas the female has a bright chestnut cap; the cap helps in identifying the bird. Its bill and legs are black.

It can often be heard singing from dense bushes of thickets, in a pretty high pitched warble. Its flight is a rapid flutter from bush to bush or among the trees.

The main body of black caps arrives in Cyprus by mid-March. They come in thousands from central Africa where they spend the winter, on their way to Europe and especially northern countries where they breed.

They are seen mainly in the Paralimni, Skarinou, Karpasia, Myrtou and Polis Chrysochou regions. The main autumn migration arrives at the beginning of September on their way back to central Africa, a number of which stay in Cyprus throughout the winter. At this time of the year they are well fed and fat as they have covered only a short distance of their long voyage.