Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

The Great Reed Warbler is a big, brown bird that loves to sing! It often lives in tall reeds near water and is known for its beautiful, cheerful songs that can be heard from far away.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Great Reed Warbler is a large, sturdy warbler with plain brown upperparts and whitish underparts. It has a distinctive pale stripe above its eye, making its head appear subtly striped. Its strong bill helps it catch insects.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderPasseriformesFamilyAcrocephalidaeGenusAcrocephalus

Great Reed Warbler

Interesting facts

A male's song can include over 100 different musical phrases!

Their powerful chattering songs can be heard over long distances across wetlands!

These tiny birds fly all the way from Europe to Africa for winter!

They often build cup-shaped nests directly over water, anchored to tall reeds.

Special abilities

Great Reed Warblers can mimic other bird calls because their complex vocal cords help them create varied and surprising songs.

Great Reed Warblers have strong legs and feet that help them cling and climb through dense reeds, making them hard to spot!

Great Reed Warblers can fly thousands of kilometers because they possess an internal compass that guides them across continents.

Measurements & details

Length: 16-20 cm
Wingspan: 25-30 cm
Weight: 0.022-0.038 kg
Lifespan: 2-5 years
Top Speed: 45 km/h
Clutch Size: 3-6
Incubation: 13-15 days
Migration Distance: 8000 km

Diet & Feeding

These birds mostly munch on insects, slurping up spiders and beetles from marshy plants.

Primary Foods

Dragonflies
Damselflies
Beetles
Caterpillars
Spiders
Grasshoppers

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

depends on

Common Reed

Phragmites australis

uses its sturdy stems for nesting and cover.

eats

Emperor Dragonfly

Anax imperator

preys on adult and larval stages.

eaten by

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

can be hunted by this agile raptor.

eaten by

Grass Snake

Natrix natrix

nestlings and eggs are vulnerable to this predator.

Traits

Feathered

Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.

Social

Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.

Singing

Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.