Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita (Vieillot, 1817)

2018-05-23 Tyumen region, Nizhnetavdinsky district, bio-station	© Mariya Lupinos

Description

The adult Chiffchaffs in spring and summer have brownish-grey upperparts, sometimes with non-plain olive or greenish tinge, best expressed on the rump. The supercilium is light (grayish-yellow or pale-buffy). The flight and tail feathers are brownish with greenish or grayish edges; the wing bars are absent. The underparts are whitish buffy-brown tinged on the craw, breast, flanks and undertail; on western races with dimmer yellow longitudinal spots. The bill is dark-brownish, legs are black or dark-brown. The Chiffchaff is resemble the Willow Warbler but is well distinguished by the black legs and dark bill. In fresh plumage the greenish or greenish-olive tone of the upperparts are well expressed. Juveniles in first autumn plumage is slightly brighter than adults in fresh plumage. The greyer eastern subspecies Siberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus (collybita) tristis) is sometimes considered to be a full species and has a very distinct call and song

References