Family Leaf-warblers (Phylloscopidae)
Least Concern
Canary Islands Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus canariensis)
Taxonomy
French: Pouillot des Canaries German: Kanarenzilpzalp Spanish: Mosquitero canario
Other common names:
Canary Chiffchaff
Taxonomy:
Phyllopneuste rufa canariensis
Hartwig
, 1886,Tenerife, Canary Islands
.
Subspecies and Distribution
P. c. canariensis
(Hartwig, 1886) – W Canary Is (La Palma, Hierro, Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria).
P. c. exsul
E. J. O. Hartert, 1907 – Lanzarote, in NE Canary Is (probably extinct).
Descriptive notes
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-... read more
Voice
Call (nominate race) a sharp and clear “hwit”, “huit”, “huii... read more
Habitat
Nominate race occurs in gardens, bushes, edges of cultivation, scrub, pine (Pinus) forest... read more
Food and feeding
Feeds on a variety of insects, usually of small size, and also on nectar of plants including Isoplexis canariensis, Canarina... read more
Breeding
Season end Jan to Jun. Nest made mostly from grasses, flower petals, dry leaves, plant fibres, animal hair and feathers, placed in tree or... read more
Movements
Sedentary.
Status and conservation
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... read more
Formerly treated as a race of P. collybita; elevated to species rank on basis of bioacoustics, morphology and molecular biology. Two subspecies recognized.