There are 55 species of Phylloscopus Warblers worldwide, plus many separate races. 13 species have occurred in the UK. Only 3 breed here, Chiffchaff, Willow and Wood. 2 are very rare, Bonelli's, and Hume's. Dusky, Radde's and Arctic are rare, but almost annual. Greenish, Yellow-browed and Pallas's are annual in small numbers. Green Warbler and Two-barred Greenish are races of Greenish Warbler and are sometimes regarded as separate species. Pallas's is usually an autumn vagrant to these shores, but in the spring of 2008 four were found in the UK. The one I had on my virtual doorstep at St. Agnes sang its heart out in the four days it stayed here, which was a rare sound for the Western Palearctic. In recent years Chiffchaff family has been split to elevate Iberian Chiffchaff (ibericus) to full species status. A similar split is predicted for Siberian Chiffchaff (tristis), another sub species that is seen in the UK. Many Chiffchaff, including tristis over winter in this country now and are familiar sights around sewage works. Dusky Warbler has also overwintered in Cornwall at Newquay (2007-8).
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