chiffchaff Hear it!

chiffchaff Definition

chiff·chaff (c̸hifc̸haf′)

noun

a small, olive-green and brown European warbler (Phylloscopus collybita), feeding mainly on insects and spiders

Etymology: echoic of its cry

chiffchaff Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • hear: Heard the first chiffchaff of the season singing in the garden.
  • include: Jumping into a taxi we then went to Newford duck pond, where 9 chiffchaffs were seen including a much paler Siberian chiffchaff.
  • winter: Over wintering Chiffchaffs may be seen in waterside locations on sunny days flitting around catching the few insects that are active.
  • hold: The area also held 79 Chiffchaffs, 14 Blackcaps, 3 Whitethroats and 3 Wheatears.
  • see: January 9th A new discovery today was a tristis Chiffchaff seen on the Blacknor housing estate at Weston.
  • hide: There was simple song from Chiffchaffs hidden high in the fresh foliage and streams of shrill rattles from secretive Wrens deep in the gills.

Converse of subject

  • represent: Spring migrants were represented by 2 Chiffchaffs and a surprising 5 Blackcaps.

Adjective modifier

  • few: The reed bed was too large for us to see much apart from a few Chiffchaffs along the edge.
  • more: Also in the valley were two cetti's warbler, a stonechat and more chiffchaff.
  • Siberian: Jumping into a taxi we then went to Newford duck pond, where 9 chiffchaffs were seen including a much paler Siberian chiffchaff.
  • single: Late news for yesterday: single Chiffchaffs were at both Easton and Weston and there were still 2 Redwings at Easton.
  • first: Heard the first chiffchaff of the season singing in the garden.
  • numerous: They attract pipits of several species, as well as numerous Chiffchaffs and Bluethroats.

Noun used with modifier

  • tristis: January 9th A new discovery today was a tristis Chiffchaff seen on the Blacknor housing estate at Weston.

Preposition: in

  • bush: There were dozens of Chiffchaffs in the bushes, often in company with Blue Tits.