Birds of Ireland: Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff | Tiuf-teaf | Phylloscopus collybita

A chiffchaff is about 10-11 centimetres long with a wingspan of 17-18 centimetres. They are a common breeding species here on woodland, farmland, and in gardens in Spring, Summer and Autumn.

A chiffchaff is roughly wren-sized. Both sexes appear similar and, apart from its song, they can be difficult to distinguish from a willow warbler. 

Chiffchaffs of all ages have green-grey upperparts, their underside is light yellow-grey, and they have a thin, dark eye stripe with a narrow, dull supercilium ('eyebrow'). Their legs and beak are usually dark grey-black.

Chiffchaff

In flight a chiffchaff has a weak, slightly undulating flight. They move busily from branch to branch in search of insects, and they flick their wings and tail. 

A chiffchaff's song is unmistakable — a loud, high-pitched, strident, bouncing chiff-chaff-chiff-chiff-chaff lasting five or more seconds at a time. It's call is a soft wheeet. They are usually heard in spring before the willow warbler; with overwintering birds singing as early as the beginning of March.

Tip of the Week

Warblers are a large group of small- to medium-sized birds. Most are insect eaters, though some will also eat fruit, especially outside the breeding season.

Most are long-distance migrants and almost all in Ireland spend the winter in sub-Saharan Africa. In recent decades very small numbers of two species, the blackcap and the chiffchaff, have spent the winter here.

Warblers tend to be very good singers. 

Featured in Birds of Ireland: A field guide by Jim Wilson, with photographs by Mark Carmody

• Jim Wilson is a wildlife writer, broadcaster, tour leader, and former chairman of BirdWatch Ireland. He has been involved in the study and conservation of birds in Ireland for more than 45 years, contributing to several major surveys and international projects.
• Mark Carmody is an award-winning wildlife photographer, has a PhD in biochemistry and works as a European patent attorney.