It sings its name out loud in a simple 'chiff chaff chiff chaff' song, which it performs from the tree canopy. Most of the UK’s chiffchaffs are summer migrants, breeding here before flying to warmer climes in autumn. Chiffchaffs can be found in lowland woodlands, parks and large gardens. Females build their nests on the ground or just above it hidden in dense vegetation. in the south of England, everywhere south of Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire and East Anglia; Chiffchaffs spend the summer in the north of the UK, except certain parts of north and north east Scotland. The chiffchaff is a bird of woodland, scrub, parks and gardens. Some chiffchaffs stay all year-round, but most migrate here from Africa. It’s thought this is due to the country’s warming climate, which means the birds can survive the winter here. Nesting. However, an increasing number of birds are now staying in the UK all year round. * This map is intended as a guide.

It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations. This suggests that, amongst the chiffchaffs wintering in West Africa, a large proportion is composed by Iberian birds, and provides support to previous suggestions that Iberian chiffchaffs are long distance migrants.

Differential migration of chiffchaffs (Phylloscopus collybita and Phylloscopus ibericus) in Europe and Africa. Chiffchaffs breed from April to early August.

They are one of our earliest arrivals, singing their hearts out from the end of February onwards. Most British breeding Chiffchaffs migrate to the Mediterranean and West Africa for the winter, though there are an increasing number over-wintering in Britain. Up to 1,000 birds are now thought to spend the whole year in the UK. Recently, it has been noted that Chiffchaffs have overwintered in the UK; whereas it is normal for them to migrate in September, … The majority of these winter Chiffchaffs are birds from Scandinavia and mainland Europe, though some are "resident" British birds.

Chiffchaffs can be identified by their distinctive “chiff-chaff, chiff-chaff” call which distinguishes them from the very similar looking willow warbler. Avian migration strategies may include intra-specific variations, also known as differential migration. Chiffchaffs are migratory birds to some parts of the UK, resident in others i.e. The nests are ball-shaped and made of dry grasses, leaves, moss and feathers.