Chiffchaff (Birds)

ORDER

Passer iformes

FAMILY

Sylviidae

GENUS & SPECIES

Phylloscopus collybita
Chiffchaff

key features

• One of Europe’s most common migratory birds, easily recognized by its distinctive two-note song
• A resourceful insect hunter, its agility and size enable it to find food that larger birds miss
• Male sings from the treetops, but female builds her ball-shaped nest close to the ground

where in the world?

Breeds in woodlands in Europe, Central Asia and Siberia, as far as the Arctic Circle; winters in southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and India
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Lifecycle

One of the first migrants to appear in northern Europe, the chiffchaff arrives in early spring. The male broadcasts his presence by singing heartily from treetops.


HABITAT

A Bushy tale Thick vegetation is an ideal chiffchaff habitat.
A Bushy tale
Thick vegetation is an ideal chiffchaff habitat.
The chiffchaff is a bird of woodlands, but is often found in large, wooded gardens and even in hedgerows studded with tall trees. Like other
leaf warblers, it is most at home in tree canopies or among tangles of vegetation and rarely alights in the open. If there is enough cover; the chiffchaff sometimes feeds in low shrubs, but it only breeds where there are trees the male may use as singing posts.
The chiffchaff arrives in northern European woodlands so early that it often sets up its breeding territories before the trees are fully in leaf

BREEDING

The chiffchaff’s arrival in early spring allows breeding to get off to a prompt start. The male courts the female with a fluttering display flight and, after mating, the female alone weaves the nest from a variety of plant matter and animal hair. The nest is a domed structure built about 1′ from the ground in a tangle of plants.The female lays her clutch of eggs in early May, unless the weather is especially cold; then, there might be a delay
The male chiffchaff takes no part in incubating eggs, although he helps feed the nestlings once they have hatched. But the female does most of the work,carrying a supply of insects to the nest.
After the first brood has fledged, the female often produces a second, which normally hatches out in July Although these later nestlings do not have to face the uncertain spring weather, they may have less time to feed before the migration south. If they fail to build up enough body fat, they may die on the journey

BUILDING A NEST

Extra bedding
1 Extra bedding…
The female collects leaves, grass, animal hair and feathers to build and line the nest. Sheep’s wool makes a useful insulating material.

FOOD & HUNTING

The chiffchaff feeds mainly on insects and times its arrival at its breeding grounds to take full advantage of the spring boom in invertebrates. The hunt involves hours of nonstop activity as the bird flits from tree to tree, inspecting leaves, buds and twigs for caterpillars and adult insects.
Like most of its relatives, the chiffchaff specializes in picking insects off plants and rarely catches them in midairThe chiffchaff has been seen feeding on nectar from flowers and, in its winter quarters, sometimes eats fruit and berries.
A Heavy lunch  The chiffchaff must forage constantly to feed young.
A Heavy lunch
The chiffchaff must forage constantly to feed young.
tmp46-43_thumbSecret hideaway,Soft furnishings,Builder at work
2 Secret hideaway…
Despite being close to the ground, the nest is well hidden.The female arrives and leaves rapidly to avoid revealing the location to predators.
3 Soft furnishings…
The female tugs moss from stones with her beak and adds it to the nest; this extra layer provides insulation from wind.
4 Builder at work
Although the female may have never built a nest before, instinct tells her how to arrange the materials collected.

CONSERVATION

The chiffchaff is one of Europe’s most common and widespread birds. Compared to some other songbirds, such as the hedge sparrow or skylark, chiffchaff numbers have remained relatively stable despite dramatic changes to the rural landscape.This is because the chiffchaff eats a wide range of insect food and breeds in many types of wooded habitats including bushes close to towns, parks and gardens.
# The chiffchaff is so similar to the willow warbler that it usually takes an expert to tell them apart. However, the willow warbler has a more melodic song.
A chiffchaff’s color shows regional variations. Birds from Siberia are mainly gray and white, while European birds are more olive-brown.
The wood mouse is a chiffchaff enemy. In places where it’s common, the mouse can destroy over three-quarters of chiffchaff nests, eating eggs and nestlings.

BEHAVIOR

Solitary during winter and migration, the chiffchaff rarely flocks and only appears with others during breeding. But the bird communicates with other chiffchaffs nearby through calls — often to warn of danger.
Like many birds, both sexes of chiffchaff share a repertoire of simple one-note calls. In addition, the Syi male sings to announce that he has Wj claimed a territory and to invite females into it to mate. His song, from which the chiffchaff takes its name, consists of a repetitive and random sequence of two notes,the second note being a lower pitch than the first.
Staking a claim A treetop is an excellent vantage point for the male to claim territory.Staking a claim A treetop is an excellent vantage point for the male to claim territory.
Staking a claim A treetop is an excellent vantage point for the male to claim territory.

Profile

Chiffchaff

With its tiny lightweight body, slender toes and narrow beak, the chiffchaff is adept at foraging for insects beyond the reach of many birds.
ChiffchaffBonelli's warbler
Bonelli’s warbler

CREATURE COMPARISONS

The chiffchaff is one of a group of small insect-eating birds called leaf warblers. Although leaf warblers often look similar; they all have slightly different habitats and feeding preferences, thus reducing competition. Bonelli’s warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli),for example, resembles the chiffchaff in size and coloring but V prefers to live in mountain forests, particularly in southern Europe. In contrast to the chiffchaff s call, the song of Bonelli’s warbler consists of a short trill with a single note.
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VITAL
Weight : Length
STATISTICS
0.21-0.35 oz. 4-4.4″
Wingspan 6-8.5″
Sexual : Maturity 1 year
Breeding Season April to July
Number of Eggs 4-7
Incubation Period 13-15 days
. Fledging I Period 14-16 days
Breeding . Interval 1 or 2
clutches a year
Typical Diet Insects and their larvae
Lifespan Up to 6 years

Related species

• The chiffchaff belongs to the family Sylviidae, which includes European, African and Asian leaf warblers.This family is a small part of the diverse order Passeriformes, which includes the blue-tailed pitta, Pitta guajana (below).
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