Common Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybita
The Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) is a common leaf warbler found in 116 countries, weighing about 8 g. 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 the Palearctic.
About the Common Chiffchaff
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 the Palearctic.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The common chiffchaff is a small, dumpy, 10–12 centimetres (3.9–4.7 inches) long leaf warbler. The male weighs 7–8 grammes (0.28–0.31 oz), and the female 6–7 grammes (0.25–0.28 oz). The spring adult of the western nominate subspecies P. c. collybita has brown-washed dull green upperparts, off-white underparts becoming yellowish on the flanks, and a short whitish supercilium. It has dark legs, a fine dark bill, and short primary projection (extension of the flight feathers beyond the folded wing).
What the Common Chiffchaff sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, Taiwan, Chad, Congo - Kinshasa, Tanzania, Uganda.
When to see it
Best months: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, with peak activity in April. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Common Chiffchaff?
- The common chiffchaff is a small, dumpy, 10–12 centimetres (3.9–4.7 inches) long leaf warbler. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Common Chiffchaff?
- The Common Chiffchaff is a tiny sized bird weighing about 8 g.
- Where can you see a Common Chiffchaff?
- The Common Chiffchaff occurs in 116 countries, including France, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany.
- What does a Common Chiffchaff sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Common Chiffchaff on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Common Chiffchaff?
- The Common Chiffchaff is most easily confused with the Willow Warbler, the Yellow-browed Warbler and the Greenish Warbler.
Learn the Common Chiffchaff for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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