Common Reed Warbler
Acrocephalus scirpaceus
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Acrocephalus scirpaceus
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Mass
~10 g
Habitat
Wetlands and marshes
Diet
Insects and invertebrates
How to recognize it
The Common Reed Warbler is easy to miss in dense cover, but its short, quiet call often gives it away. It looks plain and even, so on a walk you are more likely to notice its voice and the way it stays tucked inside the stems.
It climbs and hops through reed beds with ease, rarely perching in the open. Its diet is mostly insects, along with spiders, molluscs, and larvae, and before migration it builds up fat reserves for a long night journey.
Look for it in thick reeds and waterside scrub around rivers, lakes, marshes, and ponds. It is present across much of Europe from April to October, and winters south of the Sahara.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
The Common Reed Warbler is easy to miss in dense cover, but its short, quiet call often gives it away. It looks plain and even, so on a walk you are more likely to notice its voice and the way it stays tucked inside the stems.
It climbs and hops through reed beds with ease, rarely perching in the open. Its diet is mostly insects, along with spiders, molluscs, and larvae, and before migration it builds up fat reserves for a long night journey.
Look for it in thick reeds and waterside scrub around rivers, lakes, marshes, and ponds. It is present across much of Europe from April to October, and winters south of the Sahara.
How to recognize it
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Acrocephalus scirpaceus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Common reed warbler Encyclopedia article