Common Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybita
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyPhylloscopidae (Leaf Warblers)
- GenusPhylloscopus (Leaf Warblers)
- SpeciesPhylloscopus collybita (Common Chiffchaff)
The common chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), or simply the chiffchaff, is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds in open woodlands throughout northern and temperate Europe and the Palearctic. It is a migratory passerine which winters in southern and western Europe, southern Asia and north Africa. Greenish-brown above and off-white below, it is named onomatopoeically for its simple chiff-chaff song. It has a number of subspecies, some of which are now treated as full species. The female builds a domed nest on or near the ground, and assumes most of the responsibility for brooding and feeding the chicks, whilst the male has little involvement in nesting, but defends his territory against rivals, and attacks potential predators. A small insectivorous bird, it is subject to predation by mammals, such as cats and mustelids, and birds, particularly hawks of the genus Accipiter. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Common Chiffchaff sighting in Bale Mountains National Park, based on 33 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Bale Mountains National Park
Brown Woodland-Warbler
Phylloscopus umbrovirens
Willow Warbler
Phylloscopus trochilus
Abyssinian Thrush
Turdus abyssinicus
Streaky Seedeater
Crithagra striolata
Moorland Chat
Pinarochroa sordida
Tacazze Sunbird
Nectarinia tacazze
Baglafecht Weaver
Ploceus baglafecht
Abyssinian Siskin
Serinus nigriceps
Abyssinian Catbird
Parophasma galinieri
Thekla Lark
Galerida theklae
Ethiopian Cisticola
Cisticola lugubris
Heuglin's White-eye
Zosterops poliogastrus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Common Chiffchaff in Bale Mountains National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Chiffchaff sighting in Bale Mountains National Park, based on 33 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Common Chiffchaff in Bale Mountains National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Common Chiffchaff in Bale Mountains National Park in our monthly data.