Year to year recurrence and site‐fidelity of blackcapssylvia atricapillaand robinserithacus rubeculain a mediterranean wintering area

Capture‐recapture data of 1985 Blackcap and 218 Robin migrants ringed during 6 winters were analysed to describe the winter site fidelity and the year to year recurrence at Pilas, Seville, Spain. A higher percentage of Robins (31.6%) than Blackcaps (18.7%) were recaptured. Most of the recaptures were recorded within the same winter of ringing and especially within different months of the same winter. On average, a higher percentage of Robins (22.4%) than Blackcaps (11.3%) were retrapped within the same winter. These percentages varied significantly among years in Blackcaps but not in Robins. Although both species were ringed between the end of September and March, recaptures were only recorded between November and February which suggests that this is the real period of winter residency. The percentage of recoveries subsequent to the winter of ringing diminished with no statistical variation among species or periods. The longest period between the first and last capture was higher in Blackcaps (Syr) than in Robins (3 yr). Both species return year after year to the same local area. However, the site fidelity seems to be higher in Robins than Blackcaps. These results are compared with those reported in the literature and are discussed with reference to the local resource availability.