Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus (Linnaeus, 1758)

16–21 cmLength30 gWeight

It favors reedbeds during the breeding season and gives a loud, far-carrying song.

Busiest months: May · Most records: Spain, Israel, Poland

Looks like Common Reed Warbler

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

  1. Brown upperparts without streaks
  2. Dull buff-white chin and underparts
  3. Flat forehead and stout, sharp bill
  4. Distinct supercilium

Male, female and young

Sexes identical in appearance; juvenile has richer buff underparts.

Voice

Loud, far-carrying song combines chattering, harsh frog-like notes and whistles.

Similar species

Common Reed Warbler
Common Reed Warbler

Great Reed Warbler resembles an enlarged Common Reed Warbler, being larger and having a more distinct supercilium.

Where and when it's recorded

Great Reed Warbler has been recorded at 1,034 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 95 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Aras Kuş Halkalama İstasyonuTürkiye1,132 records
  2. International Birding and Research Center Eilat (IBRCE)Israel927 records
  3. Marjal dels Moros – ÁreaSpain895 records
More places
  1. Poleg MarshIsrael774 records
  2. Laguna de la VeguillaSpain556 records
  3. El Hondo PNat – Centro de VisitantesSpain549 records
  4. Laguna de Pitillas RN – AreaSpain549 records
  5. Hides de Sa Roca i C. Informació, P.N. s'Albufera de MallorcaSpain530 records
  6. Embalse de Las Cañas RNSpain453 records
  7. Paul da BarrocaPortugal446 records

Countries and regions with the most records

SpainIsraelPolandCzechiaGermanyGreeceTürkiyePortugal

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) is an insectivorous bird in the family Acrocephalidae. It is a medium-sized passerine bird and the largest of the warblers. It breeds throughout mainland Europe and the Western Palearctic and migrates to sub-Saharan Africa in the winter.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Great Reed Warbler?

The Great Reed Warbler is about 16–21 cm long and weighs around 30 g.

Where does the Great Reed Warbler live?

Its breeding range: Palearctic: western, central. It is most often recorded in Spain, Israel and Poland.

When is the best time to see the Great Reed Warbler?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in May (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Great Reed Warbler endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Great Reed Warbler as Least Concern.

What does the Great Reed Warbler eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Great Reed Warbler in?

It belongs to the family Reed Warblers & Allies (Acrocephalidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
16–21 cm
Weight
30 g
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Migratory
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
95 mm
Tail
81 mm
Bill
23 mm
Tarsus
28 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Palearctic: western, central

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Subspecies · 1
  • Acrocephalus arundinaceus zarudnyi se European Russia and n Iran to nw Mongolia and nw China | non-breeding: Sub-Saharan Africa

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Reed Warblers & Allies Acrocephalidae
Genus
Acrocephalus

Other birds in the genus Acrocephalus

Basra Reed WarblerBasra Reed WarblerAcrocephalus griseldisCape Verde WarblerCape Verde WarblerAcrocephalus brevipennisGreater Swamp WarblerGreater Swamp WarblerAcrocephalus rufescensLesser Swamp WarblerLesser Swamp WarblerAcrocephalus gracilirostrisMadagascar Swamp WarblerMadagascar Swamp WarblerAcrocephalus newtoniSeychelles WarblerSeychelles WarblerAcrocephalus sechellensisRodrigues WarblerRodrigues WarblerAcrocephalus rodericanusOriental Reed WarblerOriental Reed WarblerAcrocephalus orientalisClamorous Reed WarblerClamorous Reed WarblerAcrocephalus stentoreusAustralian Reed WarblerAustralian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus australisMillerbirdMillerbirdAcrocephalus familiarisSaipan Reed WarblerSaipan Reed WarblerAcrocephalus hiwae
Great Reed Warbler

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Анна Голубева. ↗

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