Canary Islands Chiffchaff Phylloscopus canariensis Scientific name definitions

12–14 cm. A medium-sized, rather plain-looking leaf-warbler with short wings. Nominate race has whitish supercilium and thin eyering, contrasting dark eyestripe, olive-brown cheek and ear-coverts; crown and upperparts brownish-olive, brighter greenish-olive on lower back to uppertail-coverts; flight-feathers and outer tail feathers finely fringed light green; chin and throat off-white, becoming dull yellow on lower throat and breast ; lower breast and belly tinged dull buffish-brown, flanks warm buff, vent to undertail-coverts pale yellowish-white; underwing-coverts and axillaries yellow (usually protruding visibly at bend of closed wing); iris dark brown; bill dark horn-brown; legs variable, from greenish to grey-brown or yellowish-brown. Differs from very similar P. collybita mainly in whiter and slightly longer supercilium, darker upperparts, more buff-tinged below but with yellow (not buff) lower underparts, slightly longer and somewhat less dark bill, paler legs, shorter and more rounded wing. Sexes alike. Juvenile is as adult, but underparts generally brighter yellow. Race exsul is slightly smaller than nominate, also paler or less intensely olive-brown, and has tarsus almost black.

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Feeds on a variety of insects, usually of small size, and also on nectar of plants including Isoplexis canariensis, Canarina canariensis, Lavatera phoenicea, Aloe sp., Hibiscus sp. (1 Martín, A., and J. A. Lorenzo (2001). Aves del Archipiélago Canario. Francisco Lemus, La Laguna, Spain. Close ) and the introduced Agave americana (2 Rodríguez, B., Siverio, F., Siverio, M., Barone, R. and Rodríguez, A. (2015). Nectar and pollen of the invasive century plant Agave americana as a food resource for endemic birds. Bird Study. 62(2): 232–242. Close ).

Call (nominate race) a sharp and clear “hwit”, “huit”, “huii”, “tuit” or “wheet”, similar to that of P.collybita; race exsul call slightly longer and harsher. Song (nominate) often has loud or explosive start, “dschi-dsche-sche-schi-sche-schi-schi”, accelerating towards end, may also be preceded by short, abrupt “tuk”, “che” or “chk”, recognizably similar to that of P. collybita but faster, with richer or deeper timbre; does not respond to song of latter species. No information on song of race exsul.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Nominate race is common and widespread, with population estimated at between 100,000 and 150,000 pairs. Race exsul confined to Haria Valley, on Lanzarote, where it is, at best, very rare; indeed, there are no recent records of this race, which may now be extinct.