Blackcaps are a common summer visitor found in woodlands, hedgerows and mature gardens. They are also a common garden visitor in winter. However, the winter visitors are not Irish breeding birds but are birds that have nested in central Europe. Our breeding birds move south to the Mediterranean regions to spend the winter. Males show that black cap from which the species is named while females have a deep chestnut cap. In summer they feed on the abundance of insects and caterpillars, while in winter they turn to berries, nuts and fruit. This male was photographed in Dublin in December 2009.