The common nightingale is a small bird about 15-16 cm size, which is also found in Bulgaria. The upper part of the body is light brown and the tail has a lighter hue. The chest and abdomen are brighter and have a bright gray color. The legs are light pink and the beak is thin with a yellowish-brown color.
It is spread throughout the country except for the high parts of Rila, Pirin, Rhodopes and Stara Planina mountains. The most common is about 600-800m above sea level.
Breeds mainly in flat, damp valleys with thick bushes. It can also be observed in urban parks and gardens. Prefer deciduous forests rich in shrubs.
The nest is built by the female after the pair has already formed. This indicates that the nest is not used by males as an approach to attracting females, as do some bird species. The shape of the nest is cup-shaped and is made up of stalks of grasses, roots, mosses, lichens and is covered with moss and feathers. In April-May the female lays between 4-6 eggs stained in olive-green and stained with brown spots.
The common nightingale is not an easy bird to watch because it is hidden in shrubs, thorns, and less often in trees. It can be localized on the melodic and characteristic song that resembles the song of the European robin (Erithacus rubecula), and often the song can be mistaken for both birds. Its whistling, however, when it is close to the nest is characteristic of the common nightingale and is a sure sign that the nest is nearby. You may hear this sound in the second half of the video below. The common nightingale is an insect-eating bird and feeds on various insects and their larvae, as well as other invertebrates.
The common nightingale is predominantly monogamous, but there are single cases when polygamy is also registered. Typically, couples are formed for one season, and rarely in the next year a pair of the same birds may be formed. The common nightingale begins migration in Bulgaria in September to South Africa, returning in April. In spring, the male birds first arrive. Scientists have noticed the regularity that birds that arrive at nesting sites earlier have a greater chance of attracting females than those who arrive later.
