Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Acrocephalus ("topmost head") arundinaceus ("like a reed") 

Adult male Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) at RSPB Ouse Fen, Cambridgeshure - May 2024

Featured Subspecies: Acrocephalus arundinaceus arundinaceus
Weight: 22-38g/  /  Length: 16-21cm  /  Wingspan: 25-30cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A huge warbler distinct on its size alone, more resembling a thrush in size and also the vibe of it's song. A species of reedbeds of Europe and Central Asia, migrating in Winter to Sub-Saharan Africa.  Closely related to the Oriental and Basra Reed Warblers, of which the former was formerly considered a subspecies, though it is a slightly larger bird than either of those species. Normally not found in Britain, this individual was singing at Ouse Fen in May 2024. 

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Acrocephalidae
Genus: Acrocephalus
SUBSPECIES: A. a. arundinaceus, A. a. zarudnyi

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A regular vagrant
 - A vagrant seen at RSPB Ouse Fen in May 2024 .

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Oriental Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Acrocephalus ("topmost head") orientalis ("of the orient")

Adult Oriental Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis) at Florican Grasslands, Cambodia - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 18-47g  /  Length: 18-20cm  /  Wingspan: 23-26cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

While the name I'd heard in advance made me imagine another small reed-type warbler, this is actually a recent split from the Great Reed Warbler - a giant amongst warblers more on the scale of a redwing - far far bigger than any resident warbler of the UK.  It is highly migratory, breeding in Mongolia, North-East China, Korea, Japan and Siberia, and wintering in South-East Asia where I saw it. 

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Acrocephalidae
Genus: Acrocephalus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer name: ចាបដូនតា ("grandfather")

A non-breeding migrant.

SINGAPORE / CAMBODIA 2019 TRIP - One seen at Florican Grassland Reserve

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Hippolais (derrived from Greek huplolais - a small bird) icterina ("marked with yellow)

Adult Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina) at Capo Murro di Porco, Sicily, Italy - May 2018

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 11-16g  /  Length: 12.5-14cm  /  Wingspan: 20-24cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A close relation of the Melodious Warbler, this is a species found in more to the Easter side of Europe through to Iran.  They are a species of deciduous woodland and winter in southern Africa.  In Sicily they are a passage migrant, and one of the later species to pass through each year. 

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Acrocephalidae
Genus: Hippolais
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

ITALY - Italian -  Canapino maggiore ("Greater Melodious Warbler")

A passage migrant

 - SICILY 2018 TRIP - Two passage migrants at Capo Murro di Porco

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Melodious Warbler (Hippolais polyglotta)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Hippolais (derrived from Greek huplolais - a small bird) polyglotta ("loud voiced, harmonious")

Adult Melodious Warbler (Hipploais polyglotta) at Patones, Spain - June 2015

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 8-14g  /  Length: 12-13cm  /  Wingspan: 18-20cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Melodious Warbler is a species of Warbler that Summers in Western Europe - it is the equivalent of the Eastern European Icterine Warbler - both species are primarily insectivorous and have a yellow chest with brown upper-parts.   We saw a number of individuals of this species in the valley above Patones near Madrid, though they were fairly flighty, only emerging from bushes briefly and at a distance.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Acrocephalidae
Genus: Hippolais
Subspecies: None - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Zarcero común ("Common Warbler")

Locally common Summer migrant

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Common at Patones

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Eurasian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)

OTHER NAMES: Reed Warbler

Latin Etymology: Acrocephalus ("topmost head") scirpaceus ("reed")

 Adult Eurasian Reed Warbler (subspecies A. s. scirpaceus) at Rainham Marshes, London - 2012

Featured Subspecies: Acrocephalus scirpaceus scirpaceus
Weight: 13g  /  Length: 12.5-14cm  /  Wingspan: 19cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Reed Warbler is comparatively one of the commoner species of Warbler in the UK, but given it's habitat it is generally quite a secretive species - if you see it there is a good chance it'll be flitting in and out of Reed beds. As with most warblers it is also a summer visitor, which means you only have a limited time frame each year to find them. However, in most suitable reed beds they can be fairly numerous and are less secretive than other commoner warblers.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Acrocephalidae
Genus: Acrocephalus
Subspecies: A. s. sciraceus, A. s. fuscus

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Locally common Summer migrant (130,000 birds)

 - Birds seen at Rutland Water and Rainham Marshes.

SPAIN - Spanish - Carricero común ("Common Reed Warbler")

Summer migrant

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: A single bird seen in Laguna Campillo

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)

OTHER NAMES: European Sedge Warbler
Latin Etymology: Acrocephalus ("topmost head") schoenobaenus ("reed tread")

Adult Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire, May 2026 

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 10-13g  /  Length: 13cm  /  Wingspan: 19cm
UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Sedge Warblers are one of the commoner warblers in the UK, albeit limited mainly to reed-bed. Possibly slightly easier to see than the other major reed specialist (the reed warbler) it does share the disadvantage of all reed-bed species that it very much depends on how obliging the individual is on how easy they are to get a look at - they can vary wildly between skulking and singing from prominent positions.  This is a Summer migrant, and so only present for half the year, but can be differentiated from the Reed Warbler by the prominent pale eye-stripe and more mottled plumage.  Despite the name, it's not in any way confined to sedges, and can be found in much the same habitat as the Reed Warbler.

Related Species:

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Acrocephalidae
Genus: Acrocephalus
Subspecies: none - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common Summer breeding migrant to reed-beds (290,000 territories)

 - Birds seen at Rutland Water, Rainham Marshes, Blakenham and other wetland sites

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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