Iberian Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus ibericus

Rare vagrants from Iberia with 50 records for Britain & 1 for Ireland from March-July.

Breeds in France, Portugal, Spain & North West Africa.

 Winters in South Africa.

The breast is yellow and the belly is white, closer in appearance to a Willow Warbler (P. trochilus) than the Common Chiffchaff.

This resemblance to Willow Warblers is enhanced by the distinct dark eyestripe.

The voice is similar to common Chiffchaff but is not a disyllabic but introduces other elements, there is a chiff-chaff like call, but this is faster and more monotonous than the Common Chiffchaff song, some repeated rattles and then some long drawn out whistles.

This has been written down as "chiff-chiff-chiff-chiff-dr-dr-dr-dr-swit-swit-swit".