“When the chiffchaff sings, spring begins”
First Migrants to Return
Several species of birds, including swallows, swifts and cuckoos migrate to the UK in spring. The first to arrive is the chiffchaff, who can be heard from around mid-March. They spend the summer here, breeding and feeding their young on insects, before leaving for warmer climes in Autumn. Though a few do overwinter in Southern and Western England. The number of winter residents is growing as winters become milder.
A Distinctive Song
Chiffchaffs are named after their simple, two-note song. In most of the UK this is translated as ‘chiff-chaff’. The Welsh name is ‘siff-saff’. In Dutch it is ‘tjiftjaf’ and in German ‘Zilpzalp’.
As the spring turns to summer, chiffchaffs become less vocal. Their song is mostly about the male birds establishing territory and attracting a mate for breeding.
A Delicate Warbler
I remember my father frequently pointing out chiffchaff song. To him it was genuinely distinctive. But, if I’m honest, I’ve been tone deaf to birdsong for most of my life. To me, it doesn’t sound much like ‘chiff-chaff’ as I can’t hear the ‘ff’ sounds.
So when a chiffchaff turned up in my garden last March, singing loudly and darting about in a large bush looking for insects, I still had to look it up to identify it. By looks, the chiffchaff is barely distinguishable from another subtle, sleek and small warbler: the willow warbler. Of course the song should have been a give away.
Now, with the help of a birdsong identification app, I’m eventually getting my ear in, which is handy as chiffchaffs are mostly heard and not seen. Shame, as they are rather beautiful.
Images: Maria Argiroudaki via Pexels; Kathy_Büscher via Pixabay