The Willow Warbler

The Willow Warbler

The Willow Warbler and the Chiffchaff are very similar especially when seen from a distance.  They are both small birds,  about the size of a Robin, and both are summer visitors to Corkagh.

The Willow Warbler has pink coloured legs while the Chiffchaffs are almost black. Both birds have a light coloured line above their eyes but the Willow Warblers is a yellow colour.  The warbler too, as you can tell from his name has a more melodious song and can be heard most often near the lower lakes. 

The Willow Warbler arrives at Corkagh from sub Saharan Africa in April. If it bred here successfully the previous year it will return and if it was born here at Corkagh it will most likely be found within 20k the following year. They feed solely on insects. 

They are highly territorial and are a solitary bird except when breeding. The males usually arrive earlier than the females and establish a territory.  Once they have mated the female builds a nest near water, and often close to Willows but close to the ground in dense cover.  The pair will only have one brood during the season. 

Like many other small birds the fledglings are quite helpless for the first few days and hide in the undergrowth.  Once they are grown and independent, which takes about 3 weeks, they will leave their parents territory.  After this they must feed as much as possible to achieve the fat reserves necessary for the long flight south. 

Migration is the most dangerous period of the Willow Warblers life.  Only about 30% of the juveniles who leave Ireland in Autumn will survive the journey to Africa.  Nonetheless numbers are good here in Ireland and they are of least conservational concern.