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Open woodlands, tall trees are required for singing in the breeding season. Low shrubs, brambles etc for nesting. | Open woodlands, tall trees are required for singing in the breeding season. Low shrubs, brambles etc for nesting. | ||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| − | Flicks tail, downwards (this habit is not seen in [[Willow Warbler]] | + | Flicks tail, downwards (this habit is not seen in [[Willow Warbler]]). |
====Breeding==== | ====Breeding==== | ||
The female builds a domed nest with a side entrance, made from dead leaves and grass. Two to seven cream eggs with reddish-purple or blackish spots, are laid and incubated by the female for 13–14 days; the female cares for the young for about two weeks until they fledge. | The female builds a domed nest with a side entrance, made from dead leaves and grass. Two to seven cream eggs with reddish-purple or blackish spots, are laid and incubated by the female for 13–14 days; the female cares for the young for about two weeks until they fledge. | ||
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<flashmp3>Phylloscopus collybita (song).mp3</flashmp3><br /> | <flashmp3>Phylloscopus collybita (song).mp3</flashmp3><br /> | ||
''[[Media:Phylloscopus collybita (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | ''[[Media:Phylloscopus collybita (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
#{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}#Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966 | #{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}#Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966 | ||
Revision as of 06:31, 28 February 2011
Alternative name: Eurasian Chiffchaff
- Phylloscopus collybita
Includes: Siberian Chiffchaff
Identification
10-12 cm
- Greenish olive-brown upperparts
- Off-white underpart
- Yellowish flanks
- Short white supercilium
- Fine dark bill and legs
Confusion Species
See this discussion thread for differences between Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.
Distribution
Breeds thoughout much of Europe and Asia, wintering in south and west Europe, southern Asia and northern Africa.
Very patchy distribution in Scotland.
Taxonomy
Six subspecies are recognized:[1]
- P. c. abietinus:
- Scandinavia to Urals, Caucasus, Transcaucasia and northern Iran
- P. c. collybita:
- P. c. brevirostris:
- Highlands of western Turkey and Black Sea coastlands of northern Turkey
- P. c. caucasicus:
- East of range of brevirostris at lower elevations south to Armenia
- P. c. menzbieri:
- P. c. tristis:
Tristis is sometimes accepted as full species, called Siberian Chiffchaff.
The Canary Islands Chiffchaff and the Iberian Chiffchaff have been considered conspecific with this species.
Habitat
Open woodlands, tall trees are required for singing in the breeding season. Low shrubs, brambles etc for nesting.
Behaviour
Flicks tail, downwards (this habit is not seen in Willow Warbler).
Breeding
The female builds a domed nest with a side entrance, made from dead leaves and grass. Two to seven cream eggs with reddish-purple or blackish spots, are laid and incubated by the female for 13–14 days; the female cares for the young for about two weeks until they fledge.
Diet
The diet includes insects.
Vocalisation
Song: the most reliable way to distinguish from Willow Warbler. It sings its name chiff chaff, chiff chaff, though sometimes mixes up to chiff chiff, chaff, chaff.
Call: a soft wheett
<flashmp3>Phylloscopus collybita (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
- Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
- Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
- Wikipedia
References
Wikipedia
External Links
