Common chiffchaff the male has little involvement in nesting, but defends his territory against rivals, and attacks potential predators. A small insectivorous bird, it is subject to predation by mammals, such as cats and mustelids, and birds, particularly hawks of the genus "Accipiter". Its large range and population mean that its status is secure, although one subspecies is probably extinct. The British naturalist Gilbert White was one of the first people to separate the similar-looking common chiffchaff, willow warbler and wood warbler by their songs, as detailed in 1789 in "The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne", but the common chiffchaff was
Handbook of the Birds of the World a non-profit endeavour fuelled by material from more than one hundred contributors from around the world. In early 2013, Lynx Edicions launched the online database HBW Alive, which includes the volume and family introductions and updated species accounts from all 17 published HBW volumes. Since its launch, the taxonomy has been thoroughly revised and updated twice (once for non-passerines and once for passerines), following the publication of the two volumes of the "HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World". The Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive site also provides a free access 'Key