Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Location: Parque Natural del Hondo – Interpretation Centre lagoon complex
Date Photographed: 29 November 2025
The Common Chiffchaff is a regular winter visitor along the Mediterranean coasts of Spain, including the Costa Blanca (Alicante province). Although the species continues to occur in good numbers each winter, local observations suggest a noticeable decline compared to previous decades—reflecting a broader trend affecting many migratory and wetland-associated birds.
Chiffchaffs typically begin arriving on Spain’s Mediterranean coast in October, remaining through the winter period until March. Across its global range, the species breeds widely throughout Europe and western Asia. Populations from the north and east of the range are migratory, undertaking seasonal movements to wintering grounds further south. In contrast, western populations are more often resident or short-distance migrants, sometimes remaining close to their breeding areas year-round.
Within El Hondo Natural Park, Common Chiffchaffs show a strong association with wetland margins and surrounding scrub. Preferred habitats include reedbeds, tamarisk thickets, lagoon edges, irrigation channels, and lightly wooded areas near open water—all well represented around the Interpretation Centre lagoons, where multiple individuals were recorded during this visit.
A small, active insectivore even in winter, the Chiffchaff remains one of the more reliable Mediterranean winter warblers, offering excellent opportunities for photography and close field observation in coastal wetlands like El Hondo.
Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Location: Parque Natural del Hondo – Interpretation Centre lagoon complex
Date Photographed: 29 November 2025
The Common Chiffchaff is a regular winter visitor along the Mediterranean coasts of Spain, including the Costa Blanca (Alicante province). Although the species continues to occur in good numbers each winter, local observations suggest a noticeable decline compared to previous decades—reflecting a broader trend affecting many migratory and wetland-associated birds.
Chiffchaffs typically begin arriving on Spain’s Mediterranean coast in October, remaining through the winter period until March. Across its global range, the species breeds widely throughout Europe and western Asia. Populations from the north and east of the range are migratory, undertaking seasonal movements to wintering grounds further south. In contrast, western populations are more often resident or short-distance migrants, sometimes remaining close to their breeding areas year-round.
Within El Hondo Natural Park, Common Chiffchaffs show a strong association with wetland margins and surrounding scrub. Preferred habitats include reedbeds, tamarisk thickets, lagoon edges, irrigation channels, and lightly wooded areas near open water—all well represented around the Interpretation Centre lagoons, where multiple individuals were recorded during this visit.
A small, active insectivore even in winter, the Chiffchaff remains one of the more reliable Mediterranean winter warblers, offering excellent opportunities for photography and close field observation in coastal wetlands like El Hondo.