Page 338 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WARBLERS AND ALLIES
Order Passeriformes Family Sylviidae Species Phylloscopus collybita
Chiffchaff thin pale stripe over eye
(longer, sharper, yellower
on juvenile)
round
dark eye-stripe
head
short, round white crescent
wings under eye
short thin bill
wingtips
ADULT
pale greenish to
yellowish buff
underside
IN FLIGHT
tail bobbed
down
thin
blackish legs
olive-tinged
green body
ADULT
hile the Willow Warbler is
Wmore common in many areas, the
Chiffchaff is the small greenish warbler that
is often the benchmark against which others are ADULT
judged. It appears commonly in bushy areas by
the coast, or close to lakes and reservoirs, during
migration, especially quite late in the autumn
(when it may sing quite frequently). Sometimes FLIGHT: short, low, slow, weak, undulating action.
a migrant will appear for a day or so, singing, in PERSISTENT SINGER
a large garden, but in summer it is a bird of taller Early arrivals sing almost constantly
trees in well-wooded parks or woodland. before the leaves are on the trees.
Distinguishing a Chiffchaff from a Willow Chiffchaffs sing again on
Warbler can be a real problem but it is worth migration in autumn.
persisting and learning their different characters.
A frequent downward bob of the tail is a good SUBSPECIES
clue to a Chiffchaff.
VOICE Call slurred, almost single syllable, sweet P. c. tristis curved
pale wing-
hweet; song easy, loud, bright, even-paced (Siberia, very bar
repetition of simple notes, chip-chap-chip-chap- rare vagrant
in W Europe)
chap-chup-chap-chap-chip.
NESTING Domed grass nest very low in bush or
herbs; 5 or 6 eggs; 1 or 2 broods;April–July.
FEEDING Takes insects and spiders from foliage, greyer
slipping easily through without jerky leaps of tits.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds in most of Europe except
WILLOW WARBLER flatter striped for Iceland; many winter in
disyllabic call; head head
longer wings; S Europe, fewer in W Europe.
see p.307 In woods, wooded parks, large
paler gardens, and lower thickets
especially on migration (willows
larger and near water especially in March).
brighter
WOOD WARBLER Seen in the UK
pale legs longer wings; see p.308 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 10–11cm (4–4 1 ⁄4in) Wingspan 15–21cm (6–8 1 ⁄2in) Weight 6–9g ( 7 ⁄32 – 11 ⁄32oz)
Social Solitary Lifespan Up to 5 years Status Secure†
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