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Sedge warbler

©Dawn Monrose

Sedge warbler

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Scientific name: Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
In summer, the sedge warbler can be spotted singing from a reed or willow perch in wetlands across the UK. Males never sing the same song twice, adding new phrases to impress the females.

Top facts

Stats

Length: 13cm
Wingspan: 19cm
Weight: 12g
Average lifespan: 2 years

Conservation status

Classified in the UK as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5: the Red List for Birds (2021).

When to see

April to October

About

The sedge warbler is a medium-sized warbler of marshes, reedbeds and wetlands that can be spotted singing from perches on reeds and willow bushes. A great mimic, the male sedge warbler introduces random phrases into its repertoire, never singing the same song twice; he attracts more mates the more phrases his song has. Sedge warblers are summer visitors to the UK, breeding in wetland habitats from April onwards.

What to look for

Sedge warblers are sandy brown. They are paler underneath and streaky above, with a dark, streaked cap. They have a distinctive white eyestripe.

Where to find

A widespread summer visitor.

Habitats

Did you know?

The closely related and similar-looking aquatic warbler breeds in bogs and marshes in Poland and Russia, and occasionally passes through southern UK in the autumn on its way to West Africa.

Watch

Sedge Warbler (https://vimeo.com/792188741/904b8118b2)

Wendy Carter