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Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Description:

The Common Chiffchaff, or simply the Chiffchaff, is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds in open woodlands throughout northern and temperate Europe and Asia. It is a migratory passerine which winters in southern and western Europe, southern Asia and north Africa. Greenish-brown above and off-white below, it is named onomatopoeically for its simple chiff-chaff song. It has a number of subspecies, some of which are now treated as full species. The female builds a domed nest on or near the ground, and assumes most of the responsibility for brooding and feeding the chicks, whilst the male has little involvement in nesting, but defends his territory against rivals, and attacks potential predators.

Habitat:

Urban, garden

Notes:

Was in my garden feeding on ants.

1 Species ID Suggestions

PedroNicolau
PedroNicolau 10 years ago
Common Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybita Common Chiffchaff


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10 Comments

Jeannette
Jeannette 10 years ago

Great shots :)

FaredinAliyevski
FaredinAliyevski 10 years ago

Yes, they make nature sound amazing :)

HarumKoh
HarumKoh 10 years ago

nice bird! we have similar warblers. bush warbler Uguisu is well known bird in Japan. they sings very nice in spring. :))

FaredinAliyevski
FaredinAliyevski 10 years ago

Thanks Pedro, I must study these species better.

PedroNicolau
PedroNicolau 10 years ago

I forgot to mention the leg colour - black/dark. Willow and Wood Warblers have pale/pink/flesh-coloured legs.

PedroNicolau
PedroNicolau 10 years ago

Hahaha thank you, guys!

Well Faredin, one of the easiest ways of identifying Chiffchaffs in Denmark are its leg colours. No other Phylloscopus sp. that occurs there has them, so that works in 98% of the cases. The other 2% belong to abnormal Willow warblers that also have dark legs or to vagrant/accidental warblers such as the Greenish Warbler. You have to be careful though because the light may often mistaken. For it to be a Wood Warbler, it'd to be of a more intense yellow and it would have a white belly! That's how you distinguish them from all the other warbler species - bright yellow and white belly.

FaredinAliyevski
FaredinAliyevski 10 years ago

Nothing escapes Pedro, good we have him here :)

Debbie Stewart
Debbie Stewart 10 years ago

I knew Pedro would get that and I was thinking Chiff chaff but knew Pedro would correct me if I was wrong haha!!

FaredinAliyevski
FaredinAliyevski 10 years ago

Thanks Debbie! Pedro, thanks for the ID maybe you should check my other bird spottings for wrong IDs :)

Debbie Stewart
Debbie Stewart 10 years ago

I like photo 3 the best Faredin, its a really pretty little bird! you can usually tell from its song if its a warbler :-)

FaredinAliyevski
Spotted by
FaredinAliyevski

Region Hovedstaden, Denmark

Spotted on Aug 5, 2013
Submitted on Aug 5, 2013

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Reference

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