Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Scientific name definitions

Editor's note: This account is based on unified content from two HBW accounts, updated and expanded to display current knowledge

Common Chiffchaff (Common)

11–12 cm; 6–11·5 g. A medium-sized, rather plain leaf-warbler with relatively “compact” primary projection. Nominate race has pale yellowish (in spring) to whitish-yellow supercilium and fine but fairly prominent whitish eyering (or half-ring), contrasting dark eyestripe; cheek and ear-coverts uniform olive-brown; upperparts olive-green , tinged dull brown, rump sometimes a little brighter; flight-feathers and tail feathers brown, finely fringed light olive-green; almost entirely dull white or off-white below, breast side and flanks washed or streaked with yellow, undertail-coverts variably washed buffish and white to creamy; underwing-coverts and axillaries lemon-yellow (usually protruding visibly at bend of closed wing); iris dark brown; bill mostly dark brown to blackish; legs black , sometimes dark brown. Differs from P. trochilus in duller green upperparts, darker eyestripe, shorter supercilium, whitish eyering, blackish legs, shorter primary projection; from P. trochiloides in smaller blackish bill and legs, shorter supercilium and presence of whitish eye-crescent, lack of well-defined wingbar, generally duller underparts. Sexes alike in plumage, female smaller than male. Juvenile has brown to grey-brown upperparts, yellowish-white underparts washed buffish on throat and breast. Races differ mainly in colour tone of upperparts and underparts: <em>abietinus</em> is very like nominate but very slightly paler, becoming paler or greyer towards E; brevirostris is similar to previous but has browner tinge above, well-defined supercilium, buffish wash on breast, white on rest of underparts, undertail-coverts duller or creamy; caucasicus differs from previous two in having browner upperparts, cheeks, ear-coverts and breast side, creamy underparts (when fresh) lacking yellow streaks; menzbieri is very similar to last, with predominantly olive-brown upperparts tinged grey or greenish, white underparts with yellow-buff tinge on breast, brownish flanks.

Common Chiffchaff (Siberian)

11–12 cm; c. 6–11 g. A medium-sized, rather plain leaf-warbler. Adult is grey-brown above , with green tones restricted to edges of remiges and rectrices (in fresh plumage, may have olive tinge on lower back, scapulars and rump), narrow supercilium and eyering buffish-white (lacking yellow) and thin blackish eyestripe; ear-coverts and neck-sides buffish; chin and upper throat white, lower throat and underparts white or buffish white, most strongly buff on throat and breast, with flanks sometimes buffish-tinged; yellow on underwing-coverts (frequently show as bright yellow feathers at bend of wing); variable, some individuals greyish brown with olive tinge above and yellowish or yellow-streaked on underparts (“fulvescens”); iris dark brown; bill mostly blackish; legs black or very dark brown. Sexes alike. Juvenile is somewhat browner overall than adult. Differs from collybita in almost total replacement of yellow in plumage with buffy grey-brown, with no olive in crown or mantle (1); blacker bill and legs (1); buff-washed pale supercilium (ns); distinctive call and song, latter having a faster pace (at least 2), narrower frequency range of notes (3), lower maximum frequency (ns[2]), and many more different note shapes including overslurred and rising notes (ns[2]) (1 Boesman, P. (2016). Notes on the vocalizations of Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita). HBW Alive Ornithological Note 422. In: Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Close ).

Adult carry out a complete postnuptial molt before migration in June - August, and another partial prenuptial molt on wintering grounds in December - January. Juvenile molts partially before migration, and similar to adult another partial prenuptial molt on wintering grounds in December - January.

Like in other species with broad breeding ranges, timing and duration of postjuvenile molt changes from west to east. With harder winter conditions further east, molt is faster and less complete further east across the breeding distribution (2 Ryzhanovsky, V. N. (2017). Subspecies-specific features of molt in the Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita L.) from Europe and western Siberia. Russian Journal of Ecology 48:268-274 Close ).

The 'super-species' that includes Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), Siberian Chiffchaff (tristis, treated here as a group within collybita), Mountain Chiffchaff (sindianus), Iberian Chiffchaff (ibericus), Canary Island Chiffchaff (canariensis) has seen various taxonomic treatments over the last few decades. The taxonomic approach used here reflects current knowledge about phylogenetics, hybridization zones and vocalizations (3 Raković, M., Neto, J.M., Lopes, R.J., Koblik, E.A., Fadeev, I.V., Lohman, Y.V., Aghayan, S.A., Boano, G., Pavia, M., Perlman, Y., Kiat, Y., Ben Dov, A., Collinson, J.M., Voelker, G. and Drovetski, S.V. (2019). Geographic patterns of mtDNA and Z-linked sequence variation in the Common Chiffchaff and the ‘chiffchaff complex’. PLoS ONE 14(1): e0210268. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0210268. Close ,4 Shipilina, D., Serbyn, M., Ivanitskii, V., Marova, I. and Backström, N. (2017). Patterns of genetic, phenotypic, and acoustic variation across a chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita abietinus/tristis) hybrid zone. Ecol. & Evol. 7(7): 2169–2180. Close ). Two main groups are considered here, though ongoing research brings to light new insights on the phylogenetics of this broad-ranged species, ranging from western Europe to eastern Asia.

Common Chiffchaff (Common)

Considered here conspecific with tristis (see that group below, and notes on form “fulvescens”). Hybridization with P. trochilus and P. sindianus recorded. Geographical variation partially clinal, upperparts becoming paler or colder grey and underparts whiter from W to E, but variably paler and darker individuals found in all races. In Western Europe, significant overlap with tristis in plumage tones was found in DNA-tested individuals (5 De Knijff, P., V. van der Spek, and J. Fischer (2012). Genetic identity of grey chiffchaffs trapped in the Netherlands in autumn of 2009-11. Dutch Birding 34:386-392 Close ). Five subspecies currently recognized. Recent research suggests that brevirostris and caucasicus are synonyms (3 Raković, M., Neto, J.M., Lopes, R.J., Koblik, E.A., Fadeev, I.V., Lohman, Y.V., Aghayan, S.A., Boano, G., Pavia, M., Perlman, Y., Kiat, Y., Ben Dov, A., Collinson, J.M., Voelker, G. and Drovetski, S.V. (2019). Geographic patterns of mtDNA and Z-linked sequence variation in the Common Chiffchaff and the ‘chiffchaff complex’. PLoS ONE 14(1): e0210268. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0210268. Close ), while other authors recently subsumed brevirostris and caucasicus within collybita (6 Shirihai, H., and L. Svensson (2018). Handbook of Western Palearctic Birds. Volume 1. Passerines: Larks to Warblers. Bloomsbury, London, UK. Close ). Further, recent discoveries of isolated breeding populations of novel genetic lineage on Mt. Hermon, Israel, and doubt over provenance of other western Asian subspecies (3 Raković, M., Neto, J.M., Lopes, R.J., Koblik, E.A., Fadeev, I.V., Lohman, Y.V., Aghayan, S.A., Boano, G., Pavia, M., Perlman, Y., Kiat, Y., Ben Dov, A., Collinson, J.M., Voelker, G. and Drovetski, S.V. (2019). Geographic patterns of mtDNA and Z-linked sequence variation in the Common Chiffchaff and the ‘chiffchaff complex’. PLoS ONE 14(1): e0210268. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0210268. Close ) suggest that more research is needed on this fascinating group.

Common Chiffchaff (Siberian)

Treated here as conspecific with collybita, but may represent a separate or incipient species (3 Raković, M., Neto, J.M., Lopes, R.J., Koblik, E.A., Fadeev, I.V., Lohman, Y.V., Aghayan, S.A., Boano, G., Pavia, M., Perlman, Y., Kiat, Y., Ben Dov, A., Collinson, J.M., Voelker, G. and Drovetski, S.V. (2019). Geographic patterns of mtDNA and Z-linked sequence variation in the Common Chiffchaff and the ‘chiffchaff complex’. PLoS ONE 14(1): e0210268. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0210268. Close ).

Broad intergradation with P. c. abietinus in W of range (4 Shipilina, D., Serbyn, M., Ivanitskii, V., Marova, I. and Backström, N. (2017). Patterns of genetic, phenotypic, and acoustic variation across a chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita abietinus/tristis) hybrid zone. Ecol. & Evol. 7(7): 2169–2180. Close ); earlier research suggested that hybrid zone may be only 10 km wide (7 Collinson, J. M., P. Archer, N. Odin, R. Riddington, and P. Walsh (2013). Genetic analysis of migrant Siberian Chiffchaffs in Britain and Ireland. British Birds 106(2): 109–113. Close ). Name fulvescens proposed for seeming intergrades from (roughly) R Pechora to R Yenisey, but birds in question sing like present species, resulting in name being synonymized, although plumage has variable degrees of yellow; situation further confused by presumed P. collybita in Middle East and Caucasus reported as giving calls like those of present species; research required. Monotypic.

Geographic variation is demonstrated both in plumage and in vocalizations. In general, collybita in the west are greener above and more yellow below; W Asian taxa (brevirostris, caucasicus and menzbieri) are more olive-brown; Siberian tristis are paler and grayer. Typical song and calls of collybita-group and tristis differ too. However, significant overlap both in plumage and vocalizations has been noted, perhaps as a result of large contact zones and resulting in hybridization between taxa, sometimes conflicting phenotypic data with genetic data (5 De Knijff, P., V. van der Spek, and J. Fischer (2012). Genetic identity of grey chiffchaffs trapped in the Netherlands in autumn of 2009-11. Dutch Birding 34:386-392 Close ).

• Willow Warbler x Common Chiffchaff (hybrid) Phylloscopus trochilus x collybita

Common Chiffchaff (Common)

From British Is and N Iberia, through S Scandinavia, across Europe E to Urals, Caucasus, Transcaucasia, N and NW Turkey to N and NW Iran and Middle East; non-breeding mainly S Europe, W, N and E Africa, Arabia, Middle East.

Common Chiffchaff (Siberian)

Russia, from Kanin Peninsula E to R Kolyma (possibly to R Anadyr), S to S Urals, N Kazakhstan, NW China, NW Mongolia and L Baikal; non-breeding S Iraq, S Iran and Arabia E to India and Bangladesh.

Common Chiffchaff (Common)

Lowland deciduous forest and woodland with low undergrowth, also parks, hedgerows, shelterbelts, overgrown cemeteries, large gardens and reedbeds. Frequently in damp alder (Alnus) and willow (Salix) woodland and river valleys, especially in S of range; prefers habitats with at least some tall trees but, exceptionally, breeds in coastal scrub lacking tall trees. In Alps, Carpathians, Caucasus and Urals, breeds in mixed oak (Quercus) and conifer forests at up to 2000 m. In non-breeding season occurs in variety of woodland habitats, from small clumps of coastal scrub to willow thickets and sometimes (less often than P. tristis) reedbeds , and in more open habitats such as parks, gardens , cultivation and hedgerows; in W Africa prefers damper areas of Acacia nilotica over the dry-country Acacia tortilis, and in E Africa (Kenya) winters in forest at 2500–3300 m.

Common Chiffchaff (Siberian)

Breeds in spruce (Picea) and pine (Pinus) forests of Siberian taiga; in C Altai in mixed oak (Quercus) and conifer forests at up to 2000 m. In non-breeding season occurs in various wooded habitats, and often in reedbeds, also in more open habitats such as gardens and cultivations; also mangroves, olive (Olea) and eucalypt (Eucalyptus) groves and submontane scrub to 2100 m in N India.

Site fidelity

A study of non-breeding Common Chiffchaffs in Portugal showed low recurrence rates; few individuals were showed within (9.6% of individuals) and between-year (4.4% of individuals) site fidelity; within the non-breeding season, sedentary birds used a home range of approximately 200m (8 Catry P., I. Catry, T. Catry, and T. Martins (2003). Within and between-year winter-site fidelity of Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita. Ardea 91:213-220. Close ).

Common Chiffchaff (Common)

Races caucasicus and menzbieri largely altitudinal migrants; ascent to breeding areas in late Apr. Otherwise migratory. Except for small numbers which remain in parts of NW & SW Europe, European and W Asian populations make post-breeding movement to regions around Mediterranean Sea, in E extending also from Syria S to W & C Arabia , and in NE Africa extending S along R Nile to N Ethiopia, N Somalia and W Kenya; also Canary Is, and NW & W Africa in coastal regions and from Mauritania and Senegambia E to Chad and N Nigeria. Migrates mainly at night, can cover 100 km in a day and sea crossings of more than 400 km in two days. Leaves breeding areas from mid-Aug, but most passage in second half Sept; from N & C Europe heads mainly SW or SE to crossing points at either end of Mediterranean Sea; present throughout year in Spain, but numbers augmented Nov–Mar; breeders from Norway and Sweden head SW (including through Britain) and those from Finland move SE, but migratory divide farther S less easily defined (and small numbers also cross N-S along Mediterranean coast). In Europe females overwinter further south than males: male-biased ratios are found in C and N Europe, including N Portugal (9 Catry, P., Lecoq, M., Araújo, A., Conway, G., Felgueiras, M., Rumsey, S., Salima, H., Tenreiro, P. and King, J.M.B. (2005). Differential migration of chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita and P. ibericus in Europe and Africa. J. Avian Biol. 36(3): 184-190. Close ) and N Spain (10 Arizaga, J., Díez, E., Aranguren, I., Asenjo, I., Cuadrado, J.F., Goikoetxea, J., Herrero, A., Jauregi, J.I., Mendiburu, A. and Sánchez, J.M. (2015). Spatio-temporal segregation by sex of Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita during the non-breeding period in northern Iberia. Revista Catalana d'Ornitologia 31: 1–6. Close ), and female-biased ratios in the circum-Mediterranean region. Passage into Iberia and N Africa late Sept to late Nov, and arrival W Africa (Gambia, Senegal) at about same time; present Sudan and Ethiopia from Oct onwards, but not until Dec in Kenya and Uganda; uncommon visitor (only ten records) to Somalia Nov–May. Return passage N begins Feb, and heaviest in Mar and Apr, reaching most of Europe in Mar but peak arrival in breeding areas early Apr, although cold spring weather causes temporary halt to progression N; farther E, arrives in late Apr and early May, when some still leaving Africa; small numbers remain throughout summer in Mali. Nominate race and abietinus occur as vagrants N to Bear I and Jan–Mayen, W to Madeira and Cape Verde Is, and S to Liberia and N Tanzania; frequently straggles NW to Iceland, mostly in spring.

Common Chiffchaff (Siberian)

Migratory. W populations move S of Tien Shan and Himalayas in Uzbekistan, S Turkmenistan and S Iran, E through Pakistan to S Nepal (up to 2800 m on passage), Bhutan, India (S to Maharashtra and Orissa) and Bangladesh. Departs Siberia and elsewhere in extreme E parts of range late Sept (sometimes earlier) to mid Oct, passage from W Mongolia, through W China (W of Qinghai) and throughout Kazakhstan (where small numbers winter in S) to mid Oct; arrives N Pakistan and N India (Punjab) early Sept, but main arrival mid Oct. First immigrants reach India in early Sept, and in Iraq, United Arab Emirates and most of rest of Arabia mid to late Oct. Leaves wintering areas from late Feb/early Mar to mid May, with passage through N Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and SW Mongolia Apr to early May, and earliest arrival in C Siberia from early May; does not reach extreme N & E parts of range until early Jun. Vagrant on coast of NE China and Korea, in Thailand, Alaska, and in NE Africa (Sudan); small numbers of individuals currently considered to be of this taxon (but may also include pale individuals of P. collybita abietinus, or “fulvescens” intergrades) recorded regularly on passage, and occasional throughout winter, in W Europe, especially Netherlands and British Is.

Common Chiffchaff (Common)

Mostly insects and their eggs and larvae , also other arthropods; also small molluscs (Gastropoda); seeds and berries sometimes taken, particularly in autumn. Arthropods include stoneflies (Plecoptera), damselflies (Odonata), grasshoppers (Orthoptera), earwigs (Dermaptera), bugs (Hemiptera), lacewings (Neuroptera), small butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), dipteran flies including mosquitoes (Culicidae), small bees (Hymenoptera), beetles (Coleoptera), spiders (Araneae), mites (Acari); seeds and berries taken include those of Pistacea, Phillyrea, olive, persimmon (Diospyros), Lycium, bilberry (Vaccinium), elder (Sambucus), currant (Ribes), plum (Prunus) and birch (Betula). Migrants near Khartoum, in Sudan, in Nov fed on gum from acacia tree. Nestling diet similar to that of adults, but with higher proportion of larvae and aphids in early days. Forages alone or, in winter and on passage, in parties of up to c. 50 individuals; joins mixed-species flocks. Forages at all levels, from the ground up to tree canopy. Feeds chiefly by taking insects from among foliage in trees, bushes and low vegetation, sometimes from ground ; also hovers, and makes short dashing sallies or picks prey from surface of water. Frequently dips tail when foraging or when nervous.

Common Chiffchaff (Siberian)

Diet consists mostly of arthropods, especially insects, and sometimes small molluscs; seeds and berries also taken, mainly in autumn. Forages singly, and in autumn sometimes in small groups; may join mixed-species flocks. Searches among foliage, sometimes takes items from ground ; makes short dashing sallies. Details likely similar to those given for P. collybita.

Common Chiffchaff (Common)

Call  (nominate and abietinus  ) a soft and melancoly “hooeet”, “hweet” or “huit”, in late summer (possibly juveniles) also a more disyllabic “sweeu”. Contact note between partners a soft “it”, “drit” or “dik”; soft “ett” by female when feeding nestlings. Song , given in wintering area prior to migration, on passage and in breeding area, a lively and rhythmic series  of “chiff-chaff chiff-chaff” notes in varying sequence, often preceded by short, dry “tret” or “trrt”.

Common Chiffchaff (Siberian)

Song less even and more hesitant than that of P. collybita, with less distinction between notes or phrases , e.g. “weet chu weet, weet chu weet, weet chu weet-oo, chit choo weet choo weet, chi-vit-chi-vit” or “tschiwi tschiwi tschiiwi…”. Call a shrill or high-pitched “peep”, “psweet” or “psee-t” and lively “chivit-chivet”, thinner than calls of P. collybita, given mainly in spring and early summer; also utters a plaintive and descending “psoo” or disyllabic “sie-oo” or “pee-uu”, and on non-breeding grounds in E India a dry “zit”.

Common Chiffchaff (Common)

Apr to early Aug; in S of range usually two broods, second clutch laid in Jun. Mostly monogamous, but in parts of range male defends two territories, indicating potential polygamy. Territory advertised and fiercely defended by male from tops of prominent perches; boundary disputes common. Male, at first meeting with female, dive-bombs her, chase then ensues, male giving loud burst of song, both partners bill-clicking on contact; male also performs courtship-flight, seeming to float down on outspread wings. Nest a ball of dry grasses, leaves, moss, plant fibres and feathers, placed usually on ground or up to 0·5 cm above it and well concealed in bramble bush (Rubus fruticosus), patch of nettles (Urtica), grass or other thick vegetation; in areas where ground predators common nest may be over 1 m from ground, in Russia up to 4·3 m. Clutch 5–6 eggs, exceptional limits 1–9; incubation by female alone, period 13–15 days; chicks fed mostly by female, male may assist (ratio of female to male effort c. 4:1), nestling period 14–16 days; young independent 10–19 days after leaving nest. Breeding success generally good. First breeds at 1 year. Longevity generally 1–4 years, exceptionally 7 years.

Common Chiffchaff (Siberian)

Laying May–Jun, in S of range sometimes from Apr. Monogamous, perhaps occasionally polygamous. Male advertises his territory by singing from top of one or more prominent perches; boundary disputes common. Nest a ball of dry stalks and leaves, grasses and feathers, with side entrance, placed in well-concealed site on or close to ground, sometimes up to 30 cm above it and well concealed in small bush (e.g. Rosa), patch of nettles (Urtica) or other dense vegetation; where ground predators common, nest may be more than 1 m above ground. Clutch 5–6 eggs; incubation by female, period c. 13–15 days; chicks fed by female, male may assist, nestling period c. 14–16 days. Breeding success good; e.g. of 70 eggs laid over 12 years on Yamal Peninsula (in far N of range), 81% hatched, and 72% of hatchlings subsequently bred successfully. First breeds at one year.

Winter survival

A study in northern Iberia calculated winter survival from capture-recapture data and found rather low survival rates, 0.3-0.6 (11 Arizaga, J., E. Díez, I. Aranguren, I. Asenjo, J. F. Cuadrado, Z. Elosegi , J. Goikoetxea , A. Herrero , J. I. Jauregi , A. Mendiburu, and J. M. Sánchez (2012). Wintering survival of insect-eating passerines in southern Europe. Bird Study 59:37-42 Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Common or locally common. European population estimated to be c. 16,500,000 pairs, most of which in central areas, including 3,700,000 pairs in Germany, up to 1,600,000 in Czech Republic, over 1,000,000 in France, and up to 800,000 in Italy and similar estimates for Bulgaria, Slovakia and Romania; in N Europe estimates of up to 500,000 pairs in Estonia, 300,000 in Finland and c. 200,000 in Sweden; c. 640,000 territories estimated in Britain, and a further 290,000 in Ireland. In Russia, population of present species estimated at between c. 10,000,000 and 100,000,000 breeding pairs. Densities variable, and decrease towards edges of distribution, particularly in N Scotland, Scandinavia, Balkans and Ukraine; highest densities, more than 10,000 breeding pairs/50 km², occur in temperate zones of C & E Europe, declining to below 5000 pairs/50 km² in S Europe and fewer than 2000 pairs/50 km² in N Scandinavia. No major changes in range or population evident since 1950s; has continued to colonize S Sweden, while numbers thought to be slowly decreasing in N Scandinavia possibly as a result of changes in forest structure. Fluctuations in British population in early 1970s and again in 1980s, and recovery from 1985 onwards, coincided with and believed probably due to droughts in non-breeding quarters in W African Sahel. tristis is not categorized as a full species, and was not evaluated; however, it appears not to be globally threatened. It is common to locally abundant in much of breeding range; uncommon in Altai and E Tien Shan. This taxon has a very large range, within which it is not known to be under any direct threat. Much of its breeding range lies within areas having relatively small or tiny human populations.