River Warbler
Locustella fluviatilis
Copied!
Locustella fluviatilis
Copied!
Mass
~15 g
Habitat
Wetlands and marshes
Diet
Insects and invertebrates
How to recognize it
The River Warbler is a shy, hard-to-see warbler that usually gives itself away by sound and movement rather than by looks. It slips through grass and low cover, staying low and hidden.
The male sings from a perch, then drops straight back into thick vegetation. Its song is a steady, insect-like reeling, most often heard at dusk or early morning, and sometimes even in darkness at the start of the breeding season.
It lives in dense, wet places near water, especially along rivers, in bogs, marshy meadows, and overgrown floodplain woods. It feeds on small insects, spiders, and other tiny animals, foraging on the ground, in grass, and in shrubs, and it migrates to inland southern and eastern Africa for the winter.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
The River Warbler is a shy, hard-to-see warbler that usually gives itself away by sound and movement rather than by looks. It slips through grass and low cover, staying low and hidden.
The male sings from a perch, then drops straight back into thick vegetation. Its song is a steady, insect-like reeling, most often heard at dusk or early morning, and sometimes even in darkness at the start of the breeding season.
It lives in dense, wet places near water, especially along rivers, in bogs, marshy meadows, and overgrown floodplain woods. It feeds on small insects, spiders, and other tiny animals, foraging on the ground, in grass, and in shrubs, and it migrates to inland southern and eastern Africa for the winter.
How to recognize it
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Locustella fluviatilis Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — River warbler Encyclopedia article