Appearance:

Glossy black hood and plain, pale brown upperparts. Cheeks brownish towards nape. Small, rounded, black bib. Small pale spot on base of upper mandible (often surprisingly visible, despite small size). Very similar to Willow Tit, especially British sub.sp. Willow tit has bigger head, not so glossy cap, whiter cheeks, larger bib and pale wing panel.

Sound:

Most easily identified by sound. Especially in areas where plumage is less distinct compared to Willow Tit, like in Britain. Most typical call an explosive, sneeze-like "pee-choo", starting high-pitched and ending on a lower note.

Also calls "chaa chaa chaa" but not so nasal and drawn-out as willow tit. Song: A simple one or two note call repeated in series. Usually rising slightly in pitch, and with a "liquid" quality. Sometimes also a ringing, vibrating song. Generally has a much sharper tone than the soft song of willow tit. Other calls: Various high pitched sound. Often quite explosive.

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Olive green upperparts, yellowish chest with gradual transition to off-white belly. Very similar to Chiff-chaff, and most field characters are subtle and often hard to see. Distinguished by (usually) pale, yellow-brown legs, dark framing to ear-coverts, stronger supercilium. Long primary projection (often 3/4ths the length of tertials) with irregularly spaced tips (visible when wing folded). Wings slightly more pointed than in Chiff-chaff, and not so fan-shaped. Juveniles often with whole underparts yellow. Frequently flicks tail, but not sideways (unlike Chiff-chaff). Generally also more calm when moving among the foliage.

Sound:

By far most easily identified by it's call or song. Contact/alarm call a soft, plaintive ascending "hoo-eet". Similar to Chiff-chaff, but first part more drawn, giving it a disyllabic feel. Song: A 3-5 second, falling phrase of soft, rippling "svi-svi" sounds, starting high with some attack, and then falling in a mellow manner. The phrase lacks any conclusion, and diminishes both in strength and tempo.

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC