Chiffchaff: A Summer Visitor to Britain

Chiffchaffs, Phylloscopus collybita, are small olive-green warblers who arrive from their wintering grounds in the Mediterranean and West Africa in the spring. Their arrival is one of the earliest of all the summer visitor that fly to Britain to breed.

Happily, the Chiffchaff population has shown a strong increase since the 1990s because of milder winter weather.

The Chiffchaff is also known as the Common Chiffchaff.

Adults are alike and about the size of a blue tit. The upper body is a dull olive or brown-green during the spring and summer. The lower body is yellowish with a pale rump. There are yellow lines on the short wings. Adults are duller in the autumn and winter.

Chiffchaffs are small, hyperactive birds who arrive in Britain from their wintering grounds in the Mediterranean (Iberia and North Africa) and West Africa between March and April.

Over a million Chiffchaffs arrived on the shores of Britain in the early spring. They leave during the last 20 days of September.

”Growing numbers of chiffchaffs are wintering in the British Isles where, if the weather stays mild, they can find enough insect food to sustain them during the coldest months.

If they survive, they will have less distance to travel to their breeding grounds and can secure the best territories” ( BBC - http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150223-singing-chiffchaffs-in-winter ).

A few wintering Chiffchaffs from Germany leave Britain in the spring.

Wintering Scandinavian Chiffchaffs pass over Britain in the autumn with some also staying until the spring.

The huge numbers of  Chiffchaffs that arrive in the spring ensure they are the most abundant species of warbler that breed in Britain.

Chiffchaffs live and breed among shrubs and trees in woods, scrub, parks, cemeteries and gardens. Conifers are generally avoided.

They enjoy constantly flicking their wings and wagging their tails as they forage for food in shrubs, bushes and trees.

The diet of the Chiffchaff is a wide variety of insects and spiders. The most common insects eaten include flies, aphids, moths and caterpillars. They sometimes eat seeds and berries.

Foraging Chiffchaffs often leave the safety of shrubs and trees to catch insects by hovering in the air or picking them from a leaf.

Chiffchaffs are one of the few birds which sing their name loudly from a perch in a tree. Their repetitive “chiff-chaff” call makes them easily recognisable in the spring.

Pairs breed among the dense shrubs understorey of mature deciduous woodland and places where there are dense low-lying shrubs and a few tall trees such as rough areas of gardens.

The nest is hidden low down among the dense foliage of shrubs, bushes and bramble thickets.

The female builds a domed nest of grasses and leaves with a small entrance at the side.

Five to six eggs are laid between April and May which hatch after 2 weeks.

The chicks are fed mostly by the female in the nest for another 12 to 15 days.

Each parent often rears half the brood until they become independent after between 10 and 19 days. Both parents look after the young and raise 2 broods a year.

Weasels are among the predators who prey on eggs and chicks.

The Common Chiffchaff is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.

The population of Chiffchaffs in Europe has shown a “moderate increase” between 1980 and 2013.

The Chiffchaff is a green-listed species of bird in Britain.

The population declined during the 1960s and 1970s but later made a strong recovery. There has been a widespread increase in the Chiffchaff population in Britain since the 1990s except for the eastern areas of Northern Ireland.

A shallow increase was recorded in England since 1994. The number of Chiffchaffs in Wales has also risen.

Milder winters due to climate change may be a reason for the increase in Chiffchaff numbers.

A “widespread moderate increase” was recorded in the number of Chiffchaffs in Europe

(BTO - https://app.bto.org/birdtrends/species.jsp?&s=chiff ).

The British Trust for Ornithology said the number of Chiffchaffs in Scotland has risen by “an amazing 550% since 1994“ (BTO - https://twitter.com/_bto/status/750992808668868608 ).

The RSPB said in 2017 that “chiffchaffs have increased by …104% …since 1970. Milder winters in the UK and Europe, where increasing numbers of both species stay for the winter, boost overwinter survival”.

“chiffchaffs are expanding their breeding range northwards and into higher altitudes, as the climatic conditions become more favourable” (RSPB – State of the Birds – page 15 -

https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/publications/state-of-uk-birds-_2017.pdf ).

The main threat to the Chiffchaff is stormy and unsettled weather during migration.

For more information on the birds of the countryside and gardens of Britain and Ireland, please visit

http://bird4u.mzzhost.com/index.html

Difference Between Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers

Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs are very similar in appearance, possibly because they belong to the warbler family of birds. Chiffchaffs have black legs and a pale eye-stripe.

Pied Flycatcher: A Rare Breeding Bird in Britain

Pied Flycatchers, Ficedula hypoleuca , are summer visitors who breed in the woods and forests of northern and western Britain. They arrive from the winter grounds in West Africa in the spring and begin building their nests in trees.

Sadly, Pied Flycatchers are becoming a rare bird in many areas of Britain where once they were common. Birdlife charities are concerned about the decline in their population since the 1990s. The reasons for the fall in their numbers is generally unknown.

The Pied Flycatcher is smaller than a sparrow. Males are black on the upper-parts with white on the lower parts. A white patch is noticeable on the wings. Females are browner (pictures – Birdguides - https://www.birdguides.com/species-guide/ioc/ficedula-hypoleuca/ ).

Pied Flycatchers arrive on their breeding grounds in northern and western Britain between late April and early June. Males arrive before females and also depart before females.

The stronghold of the Pied Flycatcher is the higher ground of the hills and valley of Wales.

Breeding also takes place in Devon in areas such as the woods at Dunsford in Dartmoor National Park, Padley Gorge in Derbyshire, the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, Burnham Thorpe village in Norfolk, Lowther Castle in Cumbria,

Scotland became a regular breeding ground of the Pied Flycatchers during the 19th century with range expansion in the 20th century. The nesting areas of Pied Flycatchers are now southern and central Scotland.

Pied Flycatchers can be seen in the southern and eastern counties of England while on passage to the wintering grounds. A few pairs stay and breed in areas such as Sussex.

Two pairs of Pied Flycatchers were found breeding in Lydford Gorge in Devon ( BBC – please scroll down the page - https://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-england-devon-48607516 ).

The return journey to their wintering grounds in Liberia and the Ivory Coast in West Africa takes place between August and September. British Pied Flycatchers fly directly to Spain and Portugal where they “fatten up” before flying across the Sahara Desert.

Pied Flycatchers are absent as an established breeding species from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. They are considered a rare bird in Ireland.

One or two pairs have been breeding the Republic of Ireland since the 1970s. Pied Flycatchers are amber-listed due to a “very” localised breeding population. Warmer weather due to climate change is thought to be responsible for a few pairs breeding in Ireland.

Pied Flycatchers are active birds who can be seen flying quickly in and around trees in woods, forests and towns. They sometimes quarrel with other small birds such as Redstarts and Great Tits while foraging for food in trees.

The diet of the Pied Flycatcher includes small invertebrates and some seeds and fruit. Insects such as flies, beetles and caterpillars are important when feeding chicks. Spiders and millipedes are also eaten.

Pied Flycatchers can be seen hovering while catching insects in the air. They often dart from a perch to catch insects and then return quickly to a different perch. Food is sometimes found among branches or on the ground.

The loud, melodious tune of the Pied Flycatcher can be heard in woodlands in the spring. The song consists of a series of “whit” and “tic” sounds.

Pairs breed in deciduous woodland where they favour oak trees. Ash and birch woods are also used on higher ground. Some males enjoy the company of two or even three females and help raise their broods.

The nest is built by the female in a hole in a tree or a nest box. Some females use an old woodpecker's nest. The nest is made of leaves, grass, roots and moss.

Six or seven eggs are incubated for two weeks (Twitter - https://twitter.com/piedflynet/status/593172927471845376). The young learn to fly after 16 or 17 days. Both parents care for the young and raise only one brood a year.

Parents and their young disappear into the higher branches of trees or among shrubs before undertaking their long migration.

The Pied Flycatcher is a red-listed species of bird in Britain. They were moved from the amber list to the red list because the population has “decreased steeply since 1994 (Birdtrends - https://app.bto.org/birdtrends/species.jsp?&s=piefl ).

Some figures state the population of Pied Flycatchers has fallen by 53 % since the 1990s. Other sources claim a decline of 25% has occurred in the last 25 years.

The number of Pied Flycatchers has fallen in Scotland except for the south and west where they remain stable.

The population in Europe has also fallen since the 1980s.

The European Pied Flycatcher is classified of Least Concern by IUCN.

Europe hold 75% of the global breeding population and a “moderate decline” has been recorded between 1980 and 2013.

The reasons for the decline in Britain is unknown. A map showing the decline of the Pied Flycatcher may be seen on page 14 of Climate change Phenology by the BTO (https://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/u37/downloads/about_birdtrack/BTO_294pg12-14.pdf )

Researchers in the Netherlands recently found “As European winters have become warmer, pied flycatchers travelling from Africa to reach breeding grounds in the Netherlands are arriving to find that resident great tits have already claimed nesting sites for the season. As a result, the number of flycatchers killed in great tit nests has risen dramatically “ (Science Daily - https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190110141908.htm ).

However, the BTO has yet to find a mismatch in their ongoing investigations into the decline of the Pied Flycatcher in places such as Wytham Woods in Oxfordshire.

Oak moth caterpillars are fed to the chicks of Pied Flycatchers in the summer. Climate change has caused Oak moth caterpillars to hatch earlier in recent years and thought to be one of the reasons for the decline in the population of Pied Flycatchers ( Telegraph - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2018/04/23/warming-climate-leaves-birds-hatching-late-caterpillar-harvest/ ).

For more information on the birds of the gardens and countryside of Britain and Ireland, please visit
http://bird4u.mzzhost.com/index.html

The Rock Pipit of Britain and Ireland

Rock Pipits are small songbirds who live along the rocky sea coasts and offshore islands of Britain and Ireland. Resident Rock Pipits are common and widespread birds along the coasts of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Wintering Rock Pipits from Scandinavia join resident birds in the autumn.

Other names for the Rock Pipit include the Eurasian Rock Pipit and “Rockets” among birdwatchers.

The Rock Pipit is a stocky bird which is slightly larger and darker than its cousin, the Meadow Pipit, The plumage of adults is olive-grey with heavy streaking on its breast, and dark legs. The fine bill is also dark.

Most Rock Pipits remain on their territories throughout the year while a few gather in small groups during the winter.

Rock Pipits typically forage and breed along rocky shorelines, pebbly beaches, offshore islands, sea cliffs and estuaries, They avoid sandy beaches and mudflats and are rarely seen inland.

The harsh environment along the coast has been chosen by Rock Pipits because there is less competition for food and nest sites with other species of songbirds.

The main diet of the Rock Pipit is small invertebrates small shrimps and sandhoppers), shellfish (periwinkles), insects (flies and beetles) and small fish,

Rock Pipits are inconspicuous as they forage among the stones, boulders and seaweed between the tides. They spend most of their time on the ground where they walk and run like other pipits. They can sometimes be seen on prominent rocks, piers and roads near beaches.

They are tame birds who generally take little notice of people (Birdguides – a short video of Rock Pipit - https://www.birdguides.com/species-gui…/ioc/anthus-petrosus/ ).

Rock Pipits are common, resident birds in their strongholds of Scotland and Wales. Most resident birds remain in the areas where they were hatched. A few British residents move more than 100 kilometres, or eighty miles, or more during the winter.

Resident birds are either absent or found in smaller numbers in the south, east and north-west of Britain.

Rock Pipits are found along the whole coast of both the Republic of and Northern Ireland.

Rock Pipits are particularly vulnerable to cold, harsh winter weather.

Large numbers of wintering Rock Pipits leave their breeding grounds in Scandinavia (Norway) and arrive on the coasts of Britain and Ireland in the autumn.

Wintering birds are widespread around the coasts where they also visit saltmarshes. Some are seen inland while foraging on the banks of rivers, reservoirs and gravel pits.

Most Rock Pipits in Europe head south for the winter to Greece, Algeria and Morocco.

Rock Pipits are generally quiet birds except between March and July when they make a “pseep” call.

Pairs begin breeding in April when males perform a song flight which is similar to that of the Meadow Pipit. The breeding season ends in July.

The female builds a nest in a hole in a cliff, a crevice in the rocks or on the ground hidden among vegetation along rocky shores, steep sea cliffs, offshore islands and harbours.

A cup-shaped nest is made of seaweed, grass and leaves with a finer lining of feathers.

Four or five eggs are laid in May which hatch after 2 weeks. The young leave the nest after 12 days and learn to fly after 15 or 16 days. Both parents look after the young who often raise 2 broods a year.

Breeding birds often forage on grasslands near the coast whereas these areas are deserted at other times of the year.

Young birds disperse after the breeding season and move further than adults when searching for new territories. They regularly visit nearby agricultural land.

Adults begin breeding when they are 1 year old. The average lifespan of the Rock Pipit is up to 5 years.

The Rock Pipit, Anthus petrosus, is a green-listed species of bird in both Britain and Ireland.

The population of Rock Pipits has declined on the Shetland Islands and parts of the east coast of Scotland in recent years.

Some of the threats to Rock Pipits are disturbance on beaches by holidaymakers, pollution and a lack of food in their coastal habitats.

The Rock Pipit is classified as of Least Concern by IUCN.

The whole breeding population of Rock Pipits is confined to Europe and described as “stable”.

For more information on the Meadow Pipit of Britain and Ireland, please visit
http://bird4u.mzzhost.com/index.html