Iberian Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus ibericus (Ticehurst, 1937)
IR
IBECH
13115
Family: Passeriformes > Phylloscopidae
Only recently separated from Common Chiffchaff (on the basis of DNA and its distinctive song) this is a rare spring visitor to southern Britain.
Select a topic for more facts and statistics about the Iberian Chiffchaff
BTO RECORDS
BTO RECORDS
Identification
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Browse training coursesStatus and Trends
Population size and trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO surveys and atlases with data collected by BTO volunteers.
CONSERVATION STATUS
This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.
| Species of European Conservation Concern | Least Concern |
| IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global) |
Least Concern 
|
| Schedule 1 license required (to disturb) | No |
| Birds Directive Annex 1 | No |
POPULATION SIZE
| BOU Category | A |
|
First Record
|
London, 1972 |
POPULATION CHANGE
This species was split from Common Chiffchaff in 1999 (BOU 1999) and singing males have been reported in very small numbers in recent years (Eaton et al. 2021), with breeding confirmed in 2015 (Hunter 2016). The species may possibly be in the early stages of colonising the UK.
DISTRIBUTION
This species is a rare vagrant and was recorded during Bird Atlas 2007–11 as shown on the map.
More from the Atlas Mapstore.
Occupied 10-km squares in UK
| No. occupied in breeding season | 5 |
| % occupied in breeding season | 0.2 |
SEASONALITY
Iberian Chiffchaff is a spring vagrant.
Movement
Information about movement and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.
RINGING RECOVERIES
View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.
Biology
Lifecycle and body size information about Iberian Chiffchaff, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.
PRODUCTIVITY & NESTING
Sample sizes are too small to report Productivity and Nesting statistics for this species.
CODES & CLASSIFICATION
|
Field Codes
|
2-letter: IR | 5-letter code: IBECH | Euring: 13115 |
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Research
Interpretation and scientific publications about Iberian Chiffchaff from BTO scientists.
CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS
Causes of change
As this species has only recently been recognised it is unclear whether its status in the UK has changed. It is possible that records will become more frequent in the future as a result of climate change.
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