Chiffchaff
Scientific Name: Phylloscopus collybitaMaltese Name:
Family: Warblers (Sylviidae)
Occurence: Common
Breeds in Malta: No
Overview:
A bird of woodland and trees, the Chiffchaff is one of those small brown warblers that can be easily confused with other similar species. It has pale greenish plumage, a round head with a dark eye strip and thin supercilium over the eye. It has a thin black bill and black legs. The Chiffchaff is often confused with the Willow Warbler, which is a paler bird. Chiffchaffs owe their name to their simple chip-chip-chap-chap-chip-chip song. It breeds in most of Europe and many winter around the Mediterranean. It lives for up to 5 years and its population is secure.
Status:
It is a very common winter visitor.
When to See:
Like other wintering visitors, the Chiffchaff first appears in October and remains until March.
Where to See:
During winter present everywhere provided there are some trees. Although in its breeding grounds it stays high in forest trees, in Malta it is mostly seen fluttering about low trees. It is tolerant to human disturbance and is often seen in urban gardens. Among the good places to see this species are Ghadira and Simar Nature reserves, where chiffchaffs tend flutter about in Tamarisk trees, feeding on flying insects.
Photographs:
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Chiffchaff, Simar Nature Reserve |
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| Chiffchaff, Simar Nature Reserve | (Siberian) Chiffchaff ssp.tristis, Ghadira Nature Reserve |
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Chiffchaff, Ghadira Nature Reserve |
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