Phylloscopus collybita
Phylloscopus collybita
The common chiffchaff is widely distributed throughout the western Palearctic (BirdLife International, 2024). In Europe it also has a broad distribution, although it is absent from some Mediterranean areas and parts of the eastern regions (Keller et al., 2020). In Spain it is mainly present in the northern half of the peninsula (Onrubia and González-Ocio in SEO/BirdLife, 2022), with the highest abundances in the Pyrenees and the northern half of Catalonia. It also has scattered populations in riparian woodlands of the northern plateau, the Central and Iberian systems, and the Levant, but it is absent from the Canary Islands (Martín and Lorenzo, 2001), the Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla.
In Madrid it appears scattered throughout the mountainous area and foothills, although in low numbers, frequenting more or less humid forests with abundant undergrowth, as well as riparian woodlands with well-preserved vegetation cover (Díaz et al., 1994).
Records within the national park are scarce and scattered, not associated with any specific sector and showing a general distribution across the territory. It is a rather late migrant, and some individuals may be passage birds detected singing during the breeding season.
It is a forest species that occupies all types of small woodlands and open forests with abundant undergrowth, especially humid deciduous forests (oakwoods, beechwoods or birchwoods), but also coniferous forests (pinewoods and juniper stands), as well as mixed formations or riparian woodlands (Balmori et al., 2002; Cuesta and Balmori in Martí and Del Moral, 2003; Estrada et al., 2004; De Juana and Garcia, 2015).
Observations within the national park are scattered and associated with riparian groves or deciduous woodland in ravine bottoms, always within forested areas.
Globally, it is listed as Least Concern (LC; 2024). In Europe, it would also be classified in the same category (LC; 2020). In Spain, it is considered Vulnerable in the 2021 Red List, based on the observed population decline and, to a lesser extent, the reduction of its area of occupancy.
The Catalogue of Threatened Species of the Community of Madrid (1992) does not include this species in any threat category.
Balmori, A., Cuesta, M. A. y Caballero, J. M. 2002. Distribución de los mosquiteros ibérico (Phylloscopus brehmii) y europeo (Phylloscopus collybita) en los bosques de ribera de Castilla y León (España). Ardeola, 49: 19-27.
BirdLife International 2024. IUCN Red List for birds. https://datazone.birdlife.org.
Díaz, M., Martí, R., Gómez-Manzaneque, Á. y Sánchez, A. 1994. Atlas de las aves nidificantes en Madrid. Agencia de Medio Ambiente y SEO/BirdLife. Madrid.
De Juana, E. y Garcia. E. 2015. The birds of Iberian Peninsula. Christopher Helm. Londres.
Estrada, J., Pedrocchi, V., Brotons, L. y Herrando, S. (Eds.) 2004. Atles dels ocells nidificants de Catalunya 1999-2002. ICO-Lynx Edicions. Barcelona.
Keller, V., Herrando, S., Voříšek, P., Franch, M., Kipson, M., Milanesi, P., Martí, D., Antón, M., Klvaňová, A., Kalyakin, M. V. Bauer, H. Gr y Foppen, R. P. B. 2020. European Breeding Bird Atlas 2: Distribution, Abundance and Change. European Birds Census Council y Lynx Edicions. Barcelona.
Martín, A. y Lorenzo, J. A. 2001. Aves del archipiélago canario. Francisco Lemus Editor. Arafo, Tenerife.
SEO/BirdLife (Molina, B., Nebreda, A., Muñoz, A. R., Seoane, J., Real, R., Bustamante, J. y Del Moral, J. C., eds.). 2022. III Atlas de las aves en época de reproducción en España. SEO/BirdLife. Madrid.