Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
[group] Old World warblers | [order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Acrocephalidae | [latin] Acrocephalus schoenobaenus | [UK] Sedge Warbler | [FR] Phragmite des joncs | [DE] Schilf-Rohrsanger | [ES] Carricerin Comun | [NL] Rietzanger | [IRL] Ceolaire cíbe
spanwidth min.: 16 cm
spanwidth max.: 20 cm
size min.: 12 cm
size max.: 14 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 11 days
incubation max.: 13 days
fledging min.: 15 days
fledging max.: 13 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 4
eggs max.: 7
Status: Widespread summer visitor to wetlands from April to September throughout Ireland
Conservation Concern: Green-listed in Ireland. The European population is considered to be Secure.
Identification: A typical small warbler, about the same size as a Robin. Ages and sexes are similar in appearance. A buffy-brown colour all over, paler on the underparts. The crown is black, with a broad beige supercilium extending to the nape. Has some faint dark streaking on the back. Juvenile birds may have some dark spotting on the breast, but do not differ otherwise from adults.
Similar Species: Reed Warbler and other warbler species.
Call: The main call is a quiet “tschick”. The song is a loud, excited mix of various phrases and which may include some mimicry of other bird songs.
Diet: Feeds almost exclusively on insects and other invertebrates.
Breeding: Sedge Warblers breed on the edge of wetlands, especially in areas of wet grassland. Tends to avoid extensive areas of reedbeds. Migrants (especially in spring) can occasionally turn up in atypical habitat such as woodland or suburban gardens and may sing for a short while.
Wintering: Sedge Warblers winter in western and southern Africa.
Where to See: Widespread in Ireland.
Physical characteristics
Close in measurements to Willow Warbler but noticeably bulkier, with longer bill and broader rump and tail. Rather small, quite robust warbler, epitome of streaked Acrocephalus . Well-marked above, with striking cream supercklium offset by dark crown, and tawny rump glowing between dull olive-brown, rather softly streaked back and brown tail, Sexes simeilar, no seasonal variation.
Habitat
In contrast to other Acrocephalus, extends from high arctic down to mid-latitudes, from boreal through temperate but only marginally to Mediterranean zone, ranging east not far beyond west Palearctic. Accordingly adapted to cool, often cloudy and moist climates. Breeds in wide variety of low dense vegetation or in moist depressions. Attracted to clay and gravel pits. Less closely linked to lake sides, river banks, and wetlands than most congeners, and usually avoids wetter reedbeds in standing water.
Other details
Acrocephalus schoenobaenus is a widespread summer visitor to much of Europe, which constitutes >50% of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is very large (>4,400,000 pairs), and was stable between 1970-1990. Although there were declines in certain countries?most notably Finland?during 1990-2000, key populations to the east in Russia, Romania and Belarus were stable, and the species remained stable overall.
Feeding
Chiefly insects, also some plant material outside breeding season. Feeds predominantly low down in dense vegetation, notably reeds and rushes, also in cereal fields and periphery of bushes.
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
Breeds mid April to mid July in Britain and North-West Europe, June in Finland. Nest site is built in variety of tall vegetation or low bushes. On ground or up to 50 cm above. Nest, deep cup, rounded to cylindrical, with loosely woven outer structure of grass, plant stems and leaves, moss, and sedges, often with spiders webs, with thick inner layer of finer leaves and stems, lined with reed flowers, hair, and plant down. 5-6 eggs are laid, incubation 13-15 days, by female only, or with limited help from male.
Migration
Common and widespread summer migrant of Eurasia, from British Isles east across Scandinavia, northern Russia and western Siberia to western China, south through France and much of northern Mediterranean coastline to central Turkey, Caucasus, northern Iran, and southern Russia to Northwest China. Winters in subtropical to tropical zones, from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south through much of Africa to Cape Province. (Baker K 1997) Summer visitor throughout much of Europe (except south) including UK and Eire, European USSR, Transcaucasus, locally Turkey- winters tropical Africa. Recorded in winter Jordan. Migrant Portugal, Spain, Balearic Is., Malta, Cyprus, Near East, north Africa. Vagrant Iceland, Faroe Is., Svalbard, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, Madeira. (Parmenter T Byers C 1991)
Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
[group] Old World warblers | [order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Acrocephalidae | [latin] Acrocephalus schoenobaenus | [UK] Sedge Warbler | [FR] Phragmite des joncs | [DE] Schilf-Rohrsanger | [ES] Carricerin Comun | [NL] Rietzanger | [IRL] Ceolaire cíbe
spanwidth min.: 16 cm
spanwidth max.: 20 cm
size min.: 12 cm
size max.: 14 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 11 days
incubation max.: 13 days
fledging min.: 15 days
fledging max.: 13 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 4
eggs max.: 7
Status: Widespread summer visitor to wetlands from April to September throughout Ireland
Conservation Concern: Green-listed in Ireland. The European population is considered to be Secure.
Identification: A typical small warbler, about the same size as a Robin. Ages and sexes are similar in appearance. A buffy-brown colour all over, paler on the underparts. The crown is black, with a broad beige supercilium extending to the nape. Has some faint dark streaking on the back. Juvenile birds may have some dark spotting on the breast, but do not differ otherwise from adults.
Similar Species: Reed Warbler and other warbler species.
Call: The main call is a quiet “tschick”. The song is a loud, excited mix of various phrases and which may include some mimicry of other bird songs.
Diet: Feeds almost exclusively on insects and other invertebrates.
Breeding: Sedge Warblers breed on the edge of wetlands, especially in areas of wet grassland. Tends to avoid extensive areas of reedbeds. Migrants (especially in spring) can occasionally turn up in atypical habitat such as woodland or suburban gardens and may sing for a short while.
Wintering: Sedge Warblers winter in western and southern Africa.
Where to See: Widespread in Ireland.
Physical characteristics
Close in measurements to Willow Warbler but noticeably bulkier, with longer bill and broader rump and tail. Rather small, quite robust warbler, epitome of streaked Acrocephalus . Well-marked above, with striking cream supercklium offset by dark crown, and tawny rump glowing between dull olive-brown, rather softly streaked back and brown tail, Sexes simeilar, no seasonal variation.
Habitat
In contrast to other Acrocephalus, extends from high arctic down to mid-latitudes, from boreal through temperate but only marginally to Mediterranean zone, ranging east not far beyond west Palearctic. Accordingly adapted to cool, often cloudy and moist climates. Breeds in wide variety of low dense vegetation or in moist depressions. Attracted to clay and gravel pits. Less closely linked to lake sides, river banks, and wetlands than most congeners, and usually avoids wetter reedbeds in standing water.
Other details
Acrocephalus schoenobaenus is a widespread summer visitor to much of Europe, which constitutes >50% of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is very large (>4,400,000 pairs), and was stable between 1970-1990. Although there were declines in certain countries?most notably Finland?during 1990-2000, key populations to the east in Russia, Romania and Belarus were stable, and the species remained stable overall.
Feeding
Chiefly insects, also some plant material outside breeding season. Feeds predominantly low down in dense vegetation, notably reeds and rushes, also in cereal fields and periphery of bushes.
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
Breeds mid April to mid July in Britain and North-West Europe, June in Finland. Nest site is built in variety of tall vegetation or low bushes. On ground or up to 50 cm above. Nest, deep cup, rounded to cylindrical, with loosely woven outer structure of grass, plant stems and leaves, moss, and sedges, often with spiders webs, with thick inner layer of finer leaves and stems, lined with reed flowers, hair, and plant down. 5-6 eggs are laid, incubation 13-15 days, by female only, or with limited help from male.
Migration
Common and widespread summer migrant of Eurasia, from British Isles east across Scandinavia, northern Russia and western Siberia to western China, south through France and much of northern Mediterranean coastline to central Turkey, Caucasus, northern Iran, and southern Russia to Northwest China. Winters in subtropical to tropical zones, from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south through much of Africa to Cape Province. (Baker K 1997) Summer visitor throughout much of Europe (except south) including UK and Eire, European USSR, Transcaucasus, locally Turkey- winters tropical Africa. Recorded in winter Jordan. Migrant Portugal, Spain, Balearic Is., Malta, Cyprus, Near East, north Africa. Vagrant Iceland, Faroe Is., Svalbard, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, Madeira. (Parmenter T Byers C 1991)