Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Sedge Warbler

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus (Linnaeus, 1758)

12–13 cmLength19 cmWingspan12 gWeight

It is a medium-sized reed warbler with a streaked brown back and a striking whitish supercilium.

Busiest months: May · Most records: United Kingdom, Israel, Spain

Looks like Moustached Warbler

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

  1. Striking whitish supercilium
  2. Black streaks on the crown and flat forehead
  3. Brown back and wings with streaks, and pale underparts
  4. Warm brown rump without streaks

Male, female and young

Sexes identical in plumage; juvenile has dark spots on the breast.

Voice

Varied, rapid, chattering song includes sweeter short phrases and mimicry; the contact call is “chirr” or “kerr”, becoming a quacking alarm when repeated rapidly.

Similar species

Moustached Warbler
Moustached Warbler

Moustached Warbler is slightly smaller than Sedge Warbler and does not sing in flight as Sedge Warbler does.

Where and when it's recorded

Sedge Warbler has been recorded at 1,286 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 103 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. International Birding and Research Center Eilat (IBRCE)Israel2,806 records
  2. Minsmere RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom2,468 records
  3. Titchwell Marsh RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom2,087 records
More places
  1. Amwell HMWT NRUnited Kingdom2,078 records
  2. Cley & Salthouse Marshes NWT NR – Cley Marshes including Hides and Visitor CentreUnited Kingdom1,535 records
  3. Frampton Marsh RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom1,409 records
  4. Rainham Marshes RSPB Reserve, SSSI and LNRUnited Kingdom1,263 records
  5. Spurn Bird Observatory Recording AreaUnited Kingdom1,241 records
  6. Otmoor RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom1,237 records
  7. Lakenheath Fen RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom1,132 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United KingdomIsraelSpainCzechiaFinlandSwedenPolandNetherlands

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 sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus. Sedge warblers are migratory, crossing the Sahara to get from their European and Asian breeding grounds to spend winter in Africa. The male's song is composed of random chattering phrases and can include mimicry of other species.

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

Questions

How big is the Sedge Warbler?

The Sedge Warbler is about 12–13 cm long, with a wingspan of 19 cm and weighs around 12 g.

Where does the Sedge Warbler live?

Its breeding range: Palearctic: western, northern, central Europe to central Russia. It is most often recorded in United Kingdom, Israel and Spain.

When is the best time to see the Sedge Warbler?

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

Is the Sedge Warbler endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Sedge Warbler as Least Concern.

What does the Sedge Warbler eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Sedge Warbler in?

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

At a glance

Length
12–13 cm
Wingspan
19 cm
Weight
12 g
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Migratory
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
65 mm
Tail
49 mm
Bill
15 mm
Tarsus
21 mm

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

Range

Palearctic: western, northern, central Europe to central Russia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

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 rodericanusGreat Reed WarblerGreat Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceusOriental Reed WarblerOriental Reed WarblerAcrocephalus orientalisClamorous Reed WarblerClamorous Reed WarblerAcrocephalus stentoreusAustralian Reed WarblerAustralian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus australisMillerbirdMillerbirdAcrocephalus familiaris
Sedge Warbler

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

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