The common chiffchaff, or simply the chiffchaff, is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds in open woodlands throughout northern and temperate Europe and the Palearctic.
Region
Western Palearctic
Typical Environment
Breeds throughout much of northern and temperate Europe, extending into western Russia and parts of western Asia. Winters mainly around the Mediterranean basin, North Africa, the Middle East, and into South Asia. Prefers open woodlands, scrub, riparian thickets, parks, and large gardens with ample undergrowth. Often associated with willows, birches, and alders near water. Readily occupies human-modified landscapes where dense shrubs and scattered trees are present.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A small leaf warbler, the common chiffchaff is named for its distinctive, repetitive chiff-chaff song. It breeds widely across temperate Europe and into the western Palearctic, then migrates south to milder regions for winter. Often confused with the willow warbler, it can be told by its darker legs, shorter primary projection, and frequent tail-wagging.
Sketch spectrograms comparing calls of, from left to right, the subspecies collybita, abietinus and tristis
Phylloscopus collybita tristis From Khangchendzonga National Park, West Sikkim, India.
Essentially the entire historic range of the extinct eastern Canary Islands chiffchaff (P. canariensis exsul) is shown in this photo.
Common chiffchaff
Nominate subspecies P. c. collybita in Newcastle upon Tyne
Siberian chiffchaff near Hodal, India
Eggs, Collection Museum Wiesbaden, Germany
Temperament
active and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with flitting, low movements between shrubs; brief hovering when gleaning
Social Behavior
During breeding, birds are mostly territorial and seen in pairs, with males singing persistently from low perches. Nests are domed, placed low in dense vegetation or on the ground, built from grasses, leaves, and moss. Outside the breeding season, they may join loose mixed-species foraging parties in shrubby habitats.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Song is a simple, repetitive disyllabic chiff-chaff cadence delivered from exposed perches. Calls include a soft 'hweet' contact note and sharp ticking alarms. The rhythm and tone are key to distinguishing it from similar leaf warblers.
Plumage
Olive-brown upperparts with dull whitish to buff underparts and a slight yellowish wash, especially on the flanks. Overall plain appearance with soft, fine-textured feathers and no prominent wing bars. Subtle pale supercilium contrasts with a dusky eye line.
Diet
Primarily consumes small insects and other arthropods such as flies, aphids, caterpillars, and spiders. Forages by gleaning from leaves and twigs, occasionally hover-gleaning or making short sallies to catch flying prey. In colder months, may supplement with small berries and other soft plant matter when insects are scarce.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in layered vegetation—shrubs, young trees, and woodland edges where foliage is dense. Often works along riparian thickets and hedgerows, including urban parks and large gardens.
