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Difference between revisions of "Common Chiffchaff" - BirdForum Opus

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[[Image:Common_Chiffchaff.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|RayhRayh}}<br>Location: Spurn Point]]
 
 
'''Alternative name: Eurasian Chiffchaff'''
 
'''Alternative name: Eurasian Chiffchaff'''
 +
[[Image:Common_Chiffchaff.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Rayh|Rayh}}<br />[[Spurn Peninsula|Spurn Point]], October 2003]]
 
;[[:Category:Phylloscopus|Phylloscopus]] collybita
 
;[[:Category:Phylloscopus|Phylloscopus]] collybita
 
'''Includes: Siberian Chiffchaff'''
 
'''Includes: Siberian Chiffchaff'''
−
 
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
 +
10-12 cm (4-4¾ in)<br />
 +
*Greenish olive-brown upperparts
 +
*Off-white underpart
 +
*Yellowish flanks
 +
*Short white [[Topography#Heads|supercilium]]
 +
*Fine dark bill and legs - but beware of recording [[willow warbler]]'s legs as dark when they are in shadow.
 +
*Constantly dips tail when moving around in foliage.
 +
[[Image:WillowChiff.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Chiffchaff on the left and Willow Warbler on the right<br /> Photo by {{user|Steve+G|Steve G}}]]
 +
====Confusion Species====
 +
See [http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=15579 this discussion thread] for differences between Chiffchaff and [[Willow Warbler]].
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
 +
Breeds thoughout much of [[Europe]] and [[Asia]], wintering in south and west Europe, southern Asia and northern [[Africa]].
 +
Very patchy distribution in [[Scotland]].
 +
[[Image:common_chiffchaff_alok_2.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''P. c. tristis'' aka '''Siberian Chiffchaff'''<br />Photo by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br />Basai Wetlands, Gurgaon, Haryana, [[India]], January-2018]]
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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Six subspecies are recognized:
 
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* ''P. c. abietinus''
 
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* ''P. c. collybita''
 
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* ''P. c. brevirostris''
 
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* ''P. c. caucasicus''
 
−
* ''P. c. menzbieri''
 
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* ''P. c. tristis''
 
−
Tristis is sometimes accepted as full species, called '''Siberian Chiffchaff'''.<br />
 
 
The [[Canary Islands Chiffchaff]] and the [[Iberian Chiffchaff]] have been considered conspecific with this species.
 
The [[Canary Islands Chiffchaff]] and the [[Iberian Chiffchaff]] have been considered conspecific with this species.
  
 +
====Subspecies====
 +
 +
Six subspecies are recognized:<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>
 +
* ''P. c. abietinus'':
 +
:*[[Scandinavia]] to Urals, [[Caucasus]], Transcaucasia and northern [[Iran]]
 +
* ''P. c. collybita'':
 +
:*[[Denmark]] to Pyrénées, [[Poland]] and [[Romania]]; winters to northern [[Africa]]
 +
* ''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'':
 +
:*Mountains of north-eastern [[Iran]], eastern [[Alborz]] and Khorasan mountains n to adjacent Turkmenia
 +
* ''P. c. tristis'':
 +
:*Ural Mountains to north-eastern [[Iran]], northern [[India]] and Bangladesh
 +
 +
''Tristis'' is sometimes accepted as full species, called '''Siberian Chiffchaff'''.<br />
 +
[[Image:Chiffchaff 9545.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by the late '''[http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=35827 Jim Wood]'''<br />[[Shetland]], 2011]]
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 +
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]]).
 +
====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.
 +
[[Image:IMG 0814L.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Fledgling<br />Photo by {{user|Scridifer|Scridifer}}<br />Goritsa, [[Bulgaria]], May 2017]]
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
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<flashmp3>Phylloscopus collybita (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
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'''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''.<br />
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''[[Media:Phylloscopus collybita (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
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'''Call''': a soft ''whee'''tt'''''<br />
 +
<br />
 +
{{ Audio|Phylloscopus collybita (song).mp3 }}
 +
 
 +
<br />
 +
{{ Audio|Chiffchaff Nigg Bay 191116aMP3.mp3 }}
 +
 
 +
<br />
 +
It sounds at first like a ''tristis'' but is much too downslurred and not flat enough. <br />
 +
Recording by {{user|Andrew+Whitehouse|Andrew Whitehouse}}<br />
 +
Nigg Bay, Aberdeen, [[Scotland]], November 2016<br />
 +
[http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=3485696#post3485696 More information about this recording can be found in this post]
 +
 
 +
==References==
 +
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug17}}#[http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=241006 Birdforum thread] discussing finer points of identification between Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler
 +
#Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
 +
#Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
 +
#Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
 +
#Wikipedia
 +
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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{{GSearch|Phylloscopus+collybita}}  
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{{GSearch|"Phylloscopus collybita" {{!}} "Common Chiffchaff" {{!}} "Siberian Chiffchaff"}}
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Phylloscopus]] [[Category:Bird Songs]]
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<br />
 +
{{VSearch|"Phylloscopus collybita" {{!}} "Common Chiffchaff" {{!}} "Siberian Chiffchaff"}}
 +
{{GS-checked}}1
 +
<br />
 +
<br />
 +
 +
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Phylloscopus]] [[Category:Bird Songs]] [[Category:Videos]]

Latest revision as of 14:19, 9 February 2023

Alternative name: Eurasian Chiffchaff

Photo by Rayh
Spurn Point, October 2003
Phylloscopus collybita

Includes: Siberian Chiffchaff

Identification

10-12 cm (4-4¾ in)

  • Greenish olive-brown upperparts
  • Off-white underpart
  • Yellowish flanks
  • Short white supercilium
  • Fine dark bill and legs - but beware of recording willow warbler's legs as dark when they are in shadow.
  • Constantly dips tail when moving around in foliage.
Chiffchaff on the left and Willow Warbler on the right
Photo by Steve G

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.

Subspecies P. c. tristis aka Siberian Chiffchaff
Photo by Alok Tewari
Basai Wetlands, Gurgaon, Haryana, India, January-2018

Taxonomy

The Canary Islands Chiffchaff and the Iberian Chiffchaff have been considered conspecific with this species.

Subspecies

Six subspecies are recognized:[1]

  • P. c. abietinus:
  • 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:
  • Mountains of north-eastern Iran, eastern Alborz and Khorasan mountains n to adjacent Turkmenia
  • P. c. tristis:
  • Ural Mountains to north-eastern Iran, northern India and Bangladesh

Tristis is sometimes accepted as full species, called Siberian Chiffchaff.

Photo by the late Jim Wood
Shetland, 2011

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.

Fledgling
Photo by Scridifer
Goritsa, Bulgaria, May 2017

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



It sounds at first like a tristis but is much too downslurred and not flat enough.
Recording by Andrew Whitehouse
Nigg Bay, Aberdeen, Scotland, November 2016
More information about this recording can be found in this post

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Birdforum thread discussing finer points of identification between Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler
  3. Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
  4. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
  5. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
  6. Wikipedia

Recommended Citation

External Links


GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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