The Chiffchaff is a common and widespread leaf warbler, named for its distinctive onomatopoeic song, which breeds in open woodlands throughout northern and temperate Europe and Asia. It is a migratory passerine which winters in southern and western Europe, southern Asia and north Africa. Greenish-brown above and off-white below, it is named for its simple chiff-chaff song. It has a number of subspecies, some of which are now treated as full species. The female builds a domed nest on or near the ground, and assumes most of the responsibility for brooding and feeding the chicks, whilst 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. It may also acquire external or internal parasites. Its large range and population mean that its status is secure, although one subspecies is probably extinct.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiffchaff

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1653:

Oliver Cromwell dissolved the Rump Parliament of the Commonwealth of England by force, eventually replacing it with the Barebone's Parliament. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rump_Parliament

1862:

French chemist Louis Pasteur and physiologist Claude Bernard completed the first test on pasteurization. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/pasteurization

1884:

Pope Leo XIII published the encyclical Humanum Genus, denouncing Freemasonry, the doctrine of a separation of church and state, and many other principles, some of which are today equated by most people with the founding ones of the United States. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanum_Genus

1968:

British Member of Parliament Enoch Powell made his controversial "Rivers of Blood" speech in opposition to immigration and anti-discrimination legislation, resulting in his removal from the Shadow Cabinet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivers_of_Blood_speech

1999:

Students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold embarked on a massacre, killing 13 people and wounded over 20 others before committing suicide at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, USA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbine_High_School_massacre

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

viraginous (adj): 1. Resembling an overbearing woman; shrew-like.

2. Resembling an Amazon; of a woman with great bravery, strength, or stature http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/viraginous

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The true secret in being a hero lies in knowing the order of things. ... Things must happen when it is time for them to happen. Quests may not simply be abandoned; prophecies may not be left to rot like unpicked fruit; unicorns may go unrescued for a very long time, but not forever. The happy ending cannot come in the middle of the story. --Peter S. Beagle http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Peter_S._Beagle