Home | Butterflies | Dragonflies | Birds (media) | Flora & Fauna (media) | Observations | Species taxonomy |
Mexican Species | Download Checklists | Links | My 5 Chickens | Other Photos | The Birding Program | About |
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) Leaf Warblers (Phylloscopidae) | |||||||||||||
Gransanger ~ Mosquitero Común ~ Gransångare | |||||||||||||
Denmark | |||||||||||||
![]() |
4205
(12 photos)
(2 sounds)
2022-10-14 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: tristis Ottehøjevej x Granatvej. [SIBERIAN] Afternoon and quiet overcast weather. Compared to the other bird this day, 4203, this one was calling spontaneously, and gave very good looks. It's probably a coincidence but I've never seen a normal Chiffchaff behave with such confidence. It foraged down to 1 meter from me and perched several times in the open, constantly giving its characteristic 'chicken-call'...Winner Winner Chicken Dinner..! 5 minutes later it continued through the vegetation. Also seen by Knud Boysen. Update 2024: Many birds mid April were calling with somewhat similar calls, but all turned out to be abietinus, the northern subspecies. The spectrogram revealed that they were not tristis. I did not make a spectrogram control with this bird in 2022, but today I ran it and luckily it appears a green go for tristis here, with the descending call being in the hertz frequency below 5 kHz. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5790
(2 photos)
(2 sounds)
Same bird: 173
2024-04-16 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Thicket between Ottehøjevej and Ellevehøjvej-sporet. Originally suspected to be a tristis. Both recordings of this bird. Bird 2. All observations of tristis without sound documentation are by default invalidated by the DOFbase Police. So I went out today again to get recordings. This bird and the one near Hejresøen were still in place. To the un-trained ear, like mine, I had the sound to be spot on for tristis, but when studying the matter closer it becomes clear that the call of tristis is more mellow and falling more at the end. Also the frequency interval for tristis is lower, mostly in the range of 4.5 to 5 Khz, whereas all of these abienitus calls range from 3 to between 5+ Khz. The behavior of these birds seem to be quite different from our birds, at least when it comes to vocalization. All the birds I have been following have been very persistent calling eagerly for long spells at a time, and without interacting with other phylloscopus warblers. They all seemed to have found their own little spot where they forage in between many other phylloscopus warblers. I suspect them to be waiting for better weather before migrating further north - it's been cold and wet for some days now, making it understandable why a small passerine prefers to stay put where there is good shelter and food. Notice how the visual presentation of the call changes shape drastically when altering the time scale along the x-axis. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5791
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 174
2024-04-16 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Pumpehus-broen og langs materielgården. Originally suspected to be a tristis. Bird 3. As with the other bird, 5788+5790, this one was also still present today, third day. Inverted u-spectrogram, 4-5+ Khz, and constantly calling with this call according to xenocanto goes well with abietinus. Tristis shows a spectrogram flatter at the beginning and falling toward the end, and lower hertz. Initially, listening to the calls in the field, however, I was not able to detect much difference, and I have to admit that I was surprised to see that my spectrograms show this u-shape, since I hear it as a flat linear sound. One might speculate whether these birds come from a part close to the tristis population in northern Siberia, the contact zone where voices during learning are influenced by different sound pools. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5798
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
2024-04-17 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Adult. Ellevehøjvej. Call. Reference to see what another normal chiffchaff call looks like. Slower execution than 5797. Also: eu wren, willow warbler, airplane. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5797
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
2024-04-17 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Adult. Ellevehøjvej. Call. Reference to see what a normal chiffchaff call looks like. Also: eu wren. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5796
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
2024-04-17 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Adult. Ellevehøjvej. Song. Reference to see what a chiffchaff song looks like. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5793
(4 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 173
2024-04-17 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Thicket between Ottehøjevej and Ellevehøjvej-sporet. Originally thought to be a tristis. Bird 2. Third day. Same behavior as the other days. Calling often with the same call and moving about it a circle on both sides of the gravel path. As the other bird, no interaction and no other behavior than foraging and calling. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5792
(7 photos)
(2 sounds)
Same bird: 174
2024-04-17 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Pumpehus-broen, Hejresøen. Originally thought to be a tristis. Bird 3. Fourth day. Still calling exclusively with the same call, but today it included a few chatter notes (in first sound clip) similar to the ones often heard at the beginning of the chiffchaff song. But it never got into singing. Perhaps it is a female. And perhaps it is a young bird, because today it started to flutter its wings several times, as a begging juvenile would. However, I've seen especially magpies do the same now in spring, and one shouldn't think it had anything to do with food begging but rather a behavior related to breeding, pair matching. But the bird continues not to be interacting with other phylloscopuses, though many are present. I tried to provoke it with song of both collybita chiffchaffs and tristis, but no response. Actually when I tried with Iberian Chiffchaff it seemed to be more interested, but without going crazy. The call is somewhat similar to what the Iberian has, but comparing the spectrograms they are very different. Interestingly, in photos 1 and 2 a yellow alula and underwing coverts are seen, and I think I have read that it can be a crucial character for identifying tristis - which should not have any yellow - hence all good for abienitus. Notice: the first spectrogram shows a fraction with chatter and the call. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5803
(5 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 175
2024-04-18 Kongelundsområdet, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Lille sø, Kalvebodhøj, Sydvestpynten. Originally suspected to be a tristis. Bird 4. Practically sounding like the other abienitus I have had these days, but the spectrogram shows a rather different call - almost a straight upward-going sound without a drop at the end. Given the rather broad frequency range I believe it to be just a variety of the call of this subspecies. I would like to think that the many birds with unusual calls this spring is the result of more stopover birds than usual - birds probably waiting for the weather to clear up. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5804
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 182
2024-04-19 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Kanalvej, Kalvebod Fælled. Bird 5. A new bird giving the same call as the other abienitus birds seen in these days. I found it by sound as it was calling eagerly as I approached, but then kept quiet, only calling twice for the next 10 minutes; just to give an idea of a different behavior than the others that seem to be calling a lot. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5805
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 175
2024-04-19 Kongelundsområdet, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Lille sø, Kalvebodhøj, Sydvestpynten. Originally suspected to be a tristis. Bird 4. Still present with same behavior, active through rain. The spectrogram of this bird looks different from the other birds, though the sound was similar in the field. I expect it to be a known variation of the call of this subspecies, but will investigate further and adjust later if necessary. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5806
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 174
2024-04-19 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Pumpehus-broen, Hejresøen. Originally thought to be a tristis. Bird 3. Sixth day. Same behavior. Notice the different appearance of the spectrogram compared to April 16, but this is caused by different time scales. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5807
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
2024-04-19 Dragør Havn, Denmark
Subspecies: collybita Pumpehus-broen, Hejresøen. Standard call. Also: barnacle goose, common chiffchaff. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5808
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 173
2024-04-19 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Thicket between Ottehøjevej and Ellevehøjvej-sporet. Originally thought to be a tristis. Bird 2. Fifth day. Same behavior. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5809
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 176
2024-04-19 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Granatvej x Ottehøjevej. Originally thought to be a tristis. Bird 1. Fifth day. Same spectrogram confirming that a batch of northern birds are passing through our area these days. Also: Barnacle Goose. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5818
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
2024-04-20 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Ellevehøjvej. Common huit call. Also: willow warbler, common chiffchaff. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5814
(2 photos)
(2 sounds)
2024-04-20 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Ellevehøjvej, Viben. A rather raspy huit call. First recording also: willow warbler, common chiffchaff, graylag goose, eurasian coot |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5822
(11 photos)
(3 sounds)
Same bird: 180
2024-04-21 Kongelundsområdet, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Frieslandsskoven. Bird 6. Bird number 6 with the aberrant weee call that is not a tristis but certainly doesn't sound like normal chiffchaffs either. Still investigating. As with the other birds it was calling spontaneously with this call, and only used this call while I was there. It's a sharp, loud and lively call and the bird was foraging here and there, probably pushed a little by me trying to get decent recordings and photos. The photos are as shot, but sunny afternoon light might be a bit too warm compared to neutral colors, why it looks more yellow than it is. I think. Notice the rather pale legs. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5831
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 175
2024-04-21 Kongelundsområdet, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Lille sø, Kalvebodhøj, Sydvestpynten. Originally suspected to be a tristis. Bird 4. Still present with same behavior. Also: Eurasian Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Great Tit. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5832
(2 photos)
(2 sounds)
Same bird: 176
2024-04-23 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Granatvej x Ottehøjevej. Originally thought to be a tristis. Bird 1. 9th day. Interesting or irritating as you please: Today I got a positive confirmation that this bird is calling with two different calls intermixed. The new call sounds more like the typical huit call, but in a willow warbler fashion with a non-rising beginning of the call rather than the chiffchaff type that is more rising, why it doesn't really make the mystery about these birds smaller. New call in 1: Between 1.5 and 4 sec. New call in 2: 6.5 sec, 9-11 sec, 20.5, 23.5 and 25.5 sec. Also 1: willow warbler, barnacle goose, ring-necked pheasant, airplane, graylag goose. Also 2: barnacle goose, common chiffchaff, willow warbler, graylag goose, airplane |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5835
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 175
2024-04-24 Kongelundsområdet, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Lille sø, Kalvebodhøj, Sydvestpynten. Originally suspected to be a tristis. Bird 4. Still present with same behavior and call. Also: willow warbler, great tit, european greenfinch, kids |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5836
(2 photos)
(2 sounds)
Same bird: 176
2024-04-24 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Granatvej x Ottehøjevej. Originally thought to be a tristis. Bird 1. 9th day. A follow up from yesterday. The bird was not as cooperative but still threw in the new call a few times: At 1 sec and three times between 3-6 sec. Also 2: barnacle goose, tree pipit? |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5834
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 180
2024-04-24 Kongelundsområdet, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Frieslandsskoven. Bird 6. 4th day. Only heard today. And calling spontaneously and continually and only with this call. Also: eurasian blackbird, common chiffchaff |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5833
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
2024-04-24 Kongelundsområdet, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Mnv - just below the dike on the north side at level with Frieslandsskoven. Bird 7. New bird with the special weee call. It wasn't very active and perhaps in transition since I found it between tall pine trees with open understory. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5827
(9 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 174
2024-04-24 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Pumpehus-broen, Hejresøen. Originally thought to be a tristis. Bird 3. 11th day. Same behavior, but silent when I arrived. Later showed up on top of the vegetated soil barrier surrounding the maintenance installations on the other side. But basically the same area as always. It kept calling while foraging and showed nicely. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5826
(5 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 173
2024-04-24 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Thicket between Ottehøjevej and Ellevehøjvej-sporet. Originally thought to be a tristis. Bird 2. 10th day. Same behavior. Very vocal and active moving from on side of the trail to the other like in a fixed routine. I don't think the photos are comparable to the others earlier taken, but I find it difficult to believe that it shouldn't be the same bird that has decided to stay. Also: willow warbler. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5840
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 176
2024-04-28 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Granatvej x Ottehøjevej. Originally thought to be a tristis. Bird 1. 14th day. New call: at sec 5 and 11. Also: common gull, willow warbler, common chiffchaff |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5838
(8 photos)
(2 sounds)
Same bird: 174
2024-04-29 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? ♀. Pumpehus-broen, Hejresøen. Originally thought to be a tristis. Bird 3. 16th day. The bird has been silent for a few days, why I thought it had left. As goes for all the abietinus candidates that I'm investigating these days, it seems to have lost part of the spirit, calling for shorter intervals. I guess it's a brood patch you can see in the first photos, why the bird is a female, something I've suspected all the time by the behavior. But if it is in breeding mood, it is interesting why all the willow warblers and chiffchaffs that are constantly active around it don't seem to be interesting. Perhaps she is still waiting for a true male of her own kind to arrive, or perhaps she is that different that she simply doesn't recognize the others as potential mates...sound of today to be added. Also rec 1: common chiffchaff, willow warbler, airplane. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5841
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 182
2024-04-29 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Kanalvej, Kalvebod Fælled. Bird 5. 11th day, if the same bird. Also: sheep? |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5843
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 173
2024-05-03 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? Thicket between Ottehøjevej and Ellevehøjvej-sporet. Originally suspected to be a tristis. Bird 2. Call. Still very actively calling, spontaneously, but today it had expanded its range, as I found it at the north end of the clearing, toward the shelter clearing. But it moved back to the original spot when I started to chase it. Also: willow warbler, great tit, airplane. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5844
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 173
2024-05-04 Amager Fælled, Denmark
Call. A common bird with the long raising spec silhouette in the range 3-6 kHz range. Also: common chiffchaff, willow warbler, eurasian blackbird, common wood-pigeon, gunfire. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5854
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
Same bird: 174
2024-05-08 Kalvebod Fælled, Denmark
Subspecies: abietinus? ♀. Pumpehus-broen, Hejresøen. Originally thought to be a tristis. Bird 3. 25th day. Also rec 1: Common Chaffinch, Garden Warbler. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5853
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
2024-05-10 Vinkelhuse (Tårnby), Denmark
Subspecies: collybita SONG. A somewhat atypical rhythm to the song, but the notes appear to be normal. Also: Eurasian Blackbird. |
||||||||||||
![]() |
5852
(1 photos)
(1 sounds)
2024-05-22 Store Hareskov (nordsjælland), Denmark
Subspecies: collybita SONG. A somewhat atypical rhythm to the song, but the notes appear to be normal. Also: Edible Frog. |