A small olive-brown warbler which actively flits through trees and shrubs, with a distinctive tail-wagging movement. Less bright than the similar willow warbler and readily distinguished by its song, from where it gets its name. Picks insects from trees and also flies out to snap them up in flight.
Key ID Features:
Very similar toWillow Warbler but black rather than pale legs, shorter wings and a slightly less yellow appearance help to separate if good views are possible.
The song is a more simple separation, the Willow Warblers mellow cascading song seeming to gradually taper away contrasting with the Chiffchaffs repetitive attempts to tell you it's name.
Variable in hues between grey, green and brown but generally has a pale supercilium, a dark eye stripe and a white crescent below the eye when seen clearly.
Overview
Scientific name: Phylloscopus collybita.
Family: Warblers and allies (Sylviidae)
Where to see them:
Lowland woodlands, parks and large gardens.
Seen in UK:
All year round, but most arrive in late March and depart in August and September.
What they eat
Insects.
Text (c) RSPB, used with permission
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Photographer: Tim Tapley
