Common Chiffchaff

The Common Chiffchaff is a small, plain leaf warbler with a neat, compact look. What stands out most is its tidy shape, rounded wings, and habit of moving with quick, restless energy.

It is best noticed by voice — a steady, repeated chiff-chaff song that arrives very early in spring. The male sings from an exposed perch, guards his patch fiercely, and can be bold around intruders near the nest.

It breeds in open woodland, clearings with taller trees, and sheltered places with thick low growth, often near water. It feeds mainly on small insects and their larvae, and in autumn also takes elderberries; it is migratory, returning early and leaving late.