Old World Warblers (Sylviidae)
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) - HBW 11, p. 649
French: Pouillot véloce
German: Zilpzalp
Spanish: Mosquitero Común
Other common names: (Eurasian) Chiffchaff; Siberian Chiffchaff (tristis)
Taxonomy: Sylvia collybita Vieillot, 1817, Normandy, France.
Forms a superspecies with P. ibericus and P.canariensis, and until recently treated as conspecific. Also close to P. sindianus, which has similarly been treated as conspecific, but is genetically distinct. Hybridization with latter and with P. trochilus recorded. Geographical variation partially clinal, upperparts becoming paler or colder grey and underparts whiter from W to E, but variably paler and darker individuals found in all races. Race tristis has been treated as a separate species, but intergrades with abietinus in wide area of overlap; .. View all taxonomy...
Taxonomy: Sylvia collybita Vieillot,1817. Normandy, France.
Forms a superspecies with P. ibericus and P.canariensis, and until recently treated as conspecific. Also close to P. sindianus, which has similarly been treated as conspecific, but is genetically distinct. Hybridization with latter and with P. trochilus recorded. Geographical variation partially clinal, upperparts becoming paler or colder grey and underparts whiter from W to E, but variably paler and darker individuals found in all races. Race tristis has been treated as a separate species, but intergrades with abietinus in wide area of overlap; further research required. Proposed race fulvescens from C Asia (approximately between R Pechora and R Yenisey) considered probably an intergrade between two aforementioned races, but clarification required. Six subspecies recognized.
Forms a superspecies with P. ibericus and P.canariensis, and until recently treated as conspecific. Also close to P. sindianus, which has similarly been treated as conspecific, but is genetically distinct. Hybridization with latter and with P. trochilus recorded. Geographical variation partially clinal, upperparts becoming paler or colder grey and underparts whiter from W to E, but variably paler and darker individuals found in all races. Race tristis has been treated as a separate species, but intergrades with abietinus in wide area of overlap; further research required. Proposed race fulvescens from C Asia (approximately between R Pechora and R Yenisey) considered probably an intergrade between two aforementioned races, but clarification required. Six subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- abietinus (Nilsson, 1819) - breeds Scandinavia (except S) and NW Russia (E at least to R Pechora), and in S from C & E Germany to Black Sea; non-breeding Balkans S to W, NE & E Africa and Arabia.
- collybita (Vieillot, 1817) - breeds British Is E to S Sweden, and from France and E Spain to W Germany, S Poland, Balkans and NW Turkey; non-breeding around Mediterranean (sporadically to S Ireland, C England and Netherlands) and from NW Africa (including Canary Is) to Middle East.
- tristis Blyth, 1843 - breeds Russia (from at least R Pechora E to R Kolyma, possibly to R Anadyr), S to NW Black Sea, N Kazakhstan, NW China, NW Mongolia and L Baikal; non-breeding S Iraq, S Iran and Arabia E to India and Bangladesh.
- abietinus (Nilsson, 1819) - breeds Scandinavia (except S) and NW Russia (E at least to R Pechora), and in S from C & E Germany to Black Sea; non-breeding Balkans S to W, NE & E Africa and Arabia.
- collybita (Vieillot, 1817) - breeds British Is E to S Sweden, and from France and E Spain to W Germany, S Poland, Balkans and NW Turkey; non-breeding around Mediterranean (sporadically to S Ireland, C England and Netherlands) and from NW Africa (including Canary Is) to Middle East.
- tristis Blyth, 1843 - breeds Russia (from at least R Pechora E to R Kolyma, possibly to R Anadyr), S to NW Black Sea, N Kazakhstan, NW China, NW Mongolia and L Baikal; non-breeding S Iraq, S Iran and Arabia E to India and Bangladesh.
- brevirostris (Strickland, 1837) - highlands of NW & N Turkey.
- caucasicus Loskot, 1991 - Caucasus and Transcaucasus S to NW & N Iran.
- menzbieri Shestoperov, 1937 - NE Iran and Turkmenia.
- Least Concern
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A male singing and foraging Forêt de Sénart, France (ssp collybita)
Julien Rochefort 2 April 2007 3 years ago 37 sec 4.8 -
An adult and a fledgling bathing Vilanova i la Geltru, Barcelona Province, Catalonia, Spain
Pere Sugranyes 21 April 2010 13 weeks ago 56 sec 4.5 -
A bird bathing in a pond and shaking its plumage Vilanova i la Geltru, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain (ssp collybita)
Pere Sugranyes 31 March 2006 2 years ago 25 sec 4.4 -
A bird bathing several times and flying away Vilanova i la Geltru, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain (ssp collybita)
Pere Sugranyes 31 March 2006 2 years ago 19 sec 4.4 -
An adult bird having a bath Vilanova i la Geltru, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain (ssp collybita)
Pere Sugranyes 28 February 2006 2 years ago 13 sec 4.3 -
A male foraging and singing Forêt de Sénart, France (ssp collybita)
Julien Rochefort 2 April 2007 3 years ago 42 sec 4.3
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An adult (singing) male. West Fife, Scotland, UK (ssp collybita)
Steve Garvie 13 April 2009 13 weeks ago 4.4 -
In a tree Sealine Beach Resort, Mesaieed, Qatar
John A Thompson 6 weeks ago 4.3 -
Chiffchaff looking for insects Netherlands
Rob Belterman 17 April 2010 14 weeks ago 4.2 -
A bird perched on a branch Biebrza Marshes, Podlaskie Province, Poland
Piotr Jonczyk 28 June 2008 17 weeks ago 4.2 -
feeding on an exotic flower Tenerife, Canary Islands (ssp canariensis)
Georges Olioso 3 April 2009 1 year ago 3.5 -
An adult in the hand. Segur de Calafell, Tarragona Province, Catalonia, Spain (ssp collybita)
Alberto Soria 34 weeks ago 3.4
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A male singing Antwerp Province, Belgium
(ssp collybita)
Laurent Demongin 15 April 2010 6 weeks ago 4 -
Calling in Acacia tree Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India
(ssp tristis)
RAM GOPAL SONI 1 February 1984 13 weeks ago 4 -
Slightly unusual song of a male Horsell Common, Surrey, England, UK
(ssp collybita)
Stuart Fisher 25 weeks ago 4 -
Calls (autumn variant) London, England, UK
(ssp collybita)
Stuart Fisher 23 October 2009 39 weeks ago 4 -
Calls of a migrant. Surrey, England, UK
(ssp collybita)
Stuart Fisher 13 October 2003 1 year ago 4 -
Typical song of a male Surrey, England, UK
(ssp collybita)
Stuart Fisher 11 July 2009 1 year ago 3
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