What they like

Messy edges and lots of greenery. Scrub, hedges, gardens with dense bushes, parks with undergrowth. Make it easy for them: plant hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, elder and bramble. Leave a corner of nettles and rough growth. Don’t mow everything neatly—leave spots with cover.

Ecological importance

In spring they eats caterpillars, aphids and other insects out of your shrubs. Later they switches to berries and soft fruit. He themself is prey for sparrowhawk and cats: so give them dense hiding places and keep your cat indoors, especially in spring and at night.

When in the Netherlands

You can hear them singing from March. Many blackcaps breed here from April through July. Some migrate away, but more and more stay (especially in mild winters) and then turn up in gardens.

Status

Common. Has been doing well for years, mainly thanks to milder winters and greener gardens with berries.