ChiffChaff

Phylloscopus collybita

The Chiffchaff is a small, olive-brown warbler, very similar in appearance to the Willow Warbler but distinguished by its song and legs that are normally black, rather than the brown of the Willow Warbler.
As with the Cuckoo, the Chiffchaff's name is a rough description of its two-tone song.

Size

10 - 11cm

Weight

6 - 9gms

Habitat

Mature open woodlands or parks, with taller trees and ground cover for nesting.

Nest

A grassy or leafy ball constructed on, or near to the ground.

Eggs

5-7 white eggs with a few light purple/grey marks.

Food

Predominantly small insects but, when in season, some fruit and berries. Will also take peanut cake, particularly if rubbed into the bark of a tree to avoid competition with more aggressive birds.

Voice

A repeated "chiff chaff" song with an emphatic "hweet" call.

Characteristics

Unremarkable in appearance at first sight, the Chiffchaff is about the size of Blue Tit, with brownish-olive upper-parts, off-white under-parts and a yellowish hint to the breast. Best separated from Willow Warbler by the distinctive "chiff chaff" song, the darker legs and, when perched, the habit of flicking its tail downwards.

BTO Statistics

The status of the Chiffchaff is currently green.

Breeding

Likes deciduous and mixed woodland, stands of trees, parks and mature gardens where there is thick undergrowth.