Phylloscopus collybita (Vieillot, 1817)

The common chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), or simply the chiffchaff, is a common and widespread leaf warbler. It has a fine dark bill and legs are dark and there is a distinct blackish line through the eye and a pale supercilium, which extends a little way behind the eye. Little white crescents above and below the eye are often visible, as is the yellowish bend of the wing. Otherwise the plumage tone on the upperparts is greyish brown (showing a slightly greenish olive tinge on the edges of the flight feathers, tail and rump when the plumage is fresh in the spring, and with juvenile birds in the autumn). Usually the wings are plain, but occasionally a trace of a pale wing-bar may be apparent. The underparts are whitish with a slightly greyer or pale brownish tone on the sides. This warbler gets its name from its simple distinctive song, a repetitive cheerful chiff-chaff. When not singing, the common chiffchaff can be difficult to distinguish from other leaf warblers with greenish upperparts and whitish underparts, particularly the willow warbler. However, that species has a longer primary projection, a sleeker, brighter appearance and generally pale legs. Bonelli's warbler (P. bonelli) might be confused with the common chiffchaff subspecies tristis, but it has a plain face and green in the wings [Clement, Peter (1995). The Chiffchaff. London: Hamlyn. ISBN 0-600-57978-6]. The common chiffchaff also has rounded wings in flight, and a diagnostic tail movement consisting of a dip, then sidewards wag that distinguishes it from other Phylloscopus warblers[Snow, David; Perrins, Christopher M., eds. (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic concise edition (2 volumes). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-854099-X. p1337–1339] and gives rise to the name "tailwagger" in India [Collinson, J. Martin; Melling, Tim (April 2008). "Identification of vagrant Iberian Chiffchaffs - pointers, pitfalls and problem birds". British Birds. 101 (4): 174–188].

The common chiffchaff breeds across Europe and Asia east to eastern Siberia and north to about 70°N, with isolated populations in northwest Africa, northern and western Turkey and northwestern Iran [Clement, Peter (1995). The Chiffchaff. London: Hamlyn. ISBN 0-600-57978-6].

Global Distribution

Albania; Algeria; Andorra; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Benin; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Burkina Faso; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; Estonia; Ethiopia; Faroe Islands; Finland; France; Gambia; Georgia; Germany; Ghana; Gibraltar; Greece; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Hungary; Iceland; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jordan; Kenya; Latvia; Lebanon; Libya; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Mali; Malta; Mauritania; Moldova; Montenegro; Morocco; Netherlands; Niger; Nigeria; Norway; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation (European Russia); Rwanda; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Somalia; South Sudan; Spain; Sudan; Sweden; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Tanzania, United Republic of; Tunisia; Turkey; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; Western Sahara; Yemen. Vagrant in Cameroon; Chad; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d'Ivoire; Seychelles.