Blackcap or Garden Warbler (1 Viewer)

[Vivian Darkbloom]

Has anyone any tips on distinguishing Blackcap from Garden Warbler, when you can hear a bird singing but it remains invisible?
General tips on aural Jizz would be really helpful.
Thanks
Robin

 

[Jane Turner]

Garden Warbler tends to sing a shorter and more hurried song which it repeats every time it sings. Blackcap usually has more variation in both timing and notes and overall phrase. I find that some Blackcaps are very good at sounding like Garden Warblers, Garden Warblers much less good at sounding like Blackcaps, so before claiming Garden Warbler I prefer to see the bird.

 

[davercox]

Agree with almost every word Jane says, but not "shorter" if this means Garden Warbler's song phrase as a whole is short: it usually goes on a good deal longer than Blackcap.

Useful thread on this here.

 

[Keith Dickinson]

http://www.bto.org/about-birds/bird-id/blackcap-garden-warbler

this link is to a little video guide the BTO have put together to help separate the two.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Garden Warbler tends to sing a shorter and more hurried song which it repeats every time it sings. Blackcap usually has more variation in both timing and notes and overall phrase. I find that some Blackcaps are very good at sounding like Garden Warblers, Garden Warblers much less good at sounding like Blackcaps, so before claiming Garden Warbler I prefer to see the bird.

I had one of those confused blackcaps yesterday. To make it harder it was singing from the same bush where I photographed a garden warbler last spring and I'd gone there looking for a garden warbler this time.

 

[Monahawk]

The tip I often give novices on these birds is that blackcaps shout and garden warblers mumble. Often the blackcaps sub song can sound incredibly like garden warbler which to the unwary can prove challenging.

Si.