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Phylloscopus collybita

warning Vulnerable
VU (D1)

Contributed: Lior Kislev, Avner Rinot

The Common Chiffchaff is classified as a Vulnerable (VU) because of the small size of its breeding populations, estimated at less than 50 adult birds, combined with a regional adjustment for the fact that the population breeding on Mt. Hermon is a marginal population at the edge of the global range of the species. In the previous edition of the Red Book (2002) the Common Chiffchaff was not listed, as it was discovered breeding on Mt. Hermon only in summer 2013.
VU Current Regional Assessment | NA Previous Regional Assessment | LC World Assessment

Habitats Mediterranean Maquis
Presence In Israel Summer Breeder, Winter Visitor, Migrant
Nesting In Israel Breeder
Migration Types Long Range
Zoography Zones Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian
Landscape Formations Mountainous
Vegetation Formations Forest
Vegetation Densities High
Nest Locations Tree
Diet Types Invertebrate
Foraging Grounds Trees and Shrubs
Body Sizes Small (up to 500g)
Threat Factors Unknown

The Common Chiffchaff is a slender, small greenish-brown insectivorous bird that inhabits thickets. It has dark brown upper parts, a white belly, black legs and a light yellowish eyebrow (supercilium), over a black eye-stripe. It spends all its time in trees and shrubs and is difficult to observe. Their loud whistling calls give their location away in forests and woodlands.

A common passage migrant and winter visitor throughout Israel. In recent years they have been found breeding on the Mt. Hermon slopes, in areas with well-developed Mediterranean woodland, at altitudes of 1,300 meters. An estimated 20 to 40 pairs breed on Mt. Hermon (Israeli & Perlman 2013).

No specific conservation measures have been taken for this species to date.

  • ישראלי, נ. ופרלמן, י. 2013. סיכום סקר עופות מקננים בחרמון. דו"ח מרכז הצפרות של החברה להגנת הטבע.
  • פז, ע. 1986. עופות. מתוך אלון, ע. (עורך), החי והצומח של ארץ ישראל. כרך 6. הוצאת משרד הביטחון, ישראל.
Contributed: Lior Kislev, Avner Rinot

Current Occupancy Map

Distribution maps

The maps presented here provide visual information on the distribution of species in Israel in the past and present, and the changes in occupancy and nesting density during the comparison period. For further reading


Relative Abundance 2010-2020

Breeding density values as calculated from observation records and expert opinions.

Relative Abundance 1980-1990

Breeding density values are based mainly on the book Birds of Israel (Shirihai 1996).

Occupancy difference 1990-2020

A map that expresses differences in the breeding distribution between the evaluation periods (1980-1990 versus 2010-2020). Negative value - species previously present but is currently absent, positive value - species has not been recorded previously and is currently present, zero - no change in occupancy.

Relative abundance difference 1990-2020

A map that reflects the changes in the relative abundance of the species between the evaluation periods (1980-1990 versus 2010-2020). Negative values - decline in abundance, positive values - increase in abundance, zero - no change in abundance.


Rarity
Vulnerability
Attractiveness
Endemism
Red number
Peripherality

IUCN category
Definition

() districts
Disjunctiveness:
% of protected sites

Other Species

Phylloscopus bonelli
Phylloscopus sibilatrix
Phylloscopus trochilus
Acridotheres tristis