Grassbirds · Perching birds
Common Grasshopper Warbler
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Locustella naevia
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Voice
Song
Robert Petersen
Song
Max Karlsson
Song
Thomas SIGNEAU
How to recognize it
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12–14 cm, slim, with a wedge-shaped tail
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Olive-brown upperparts with dark streaks lengthwise
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Underparts yellowish white, little pattern below
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Song: "zerrrr", a cricket-like reel, often at night
About the species
The Common Grasshopper Warbler spends much of its time low in thick grass, slipping through cover and dropping back out of sight after short flights. Its song is the best clue to its presence — a long, fast reeling trill often heard at dawn, dusk, or even at night.
It moves mostly on the ground, with a quick, skimming gait, and only rarely shows itself in the open. When disturbed, it stays close to dense stems and shrubs rather than flying far.
Look for it in rough grass, damp meadows, fens, heaths, hedges, and other tangled places with low bushes. It feeds on insects and other small invertebrates, and in autumn it leaves for tropical Africa, with some populations also wintering in India.
Where to find
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Along pond edges and canal banks — in tall grass and reeds, Common Grasshopper Warbler is most often heard at dawn before it shows itself.
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On overgrown vacant lots and rough meadow strips with a few shrubs, look for the steady reeling song coming from low cover.
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In damp riverbank thickets and marshy edges, it stays close to the ground and darts back into hiding.
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On neglected clearings or rough edges near rail lines, a singing male may perch on a stem above the grass.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Locustella naevia Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Common grasshopper warbler Encyclopedia article