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Bird name:

Aquatic Warbler

Acrocephalus paludicola

Order

PASSERIFORMES

Family

Old World Warblers (Sylviidae)

BTO 2

BTO 5

AQUWA

Euring 5

12420

Breeding Location:

Swamps, Marshes, Meadows, damp, Reedbeds

Breeding Type:

Polygamous, Polyandrous

Egg Colour:

Smooth, glossy and white or pale olive with evenly distributed fine olive specks.

Number of Eggs:

4 - 6

Incubation Days:

12 - 15

Egg Incubator:

Both sexes

Nest Material:

Cup made of grass, reeds and spider webs; sometimes lined with feathers.

Nest Location:

On marshy ground or in a clump of sedge in shallow water.

Migration:

Migratory

General

Aquatic Warbler: Small, marsh warbler with black and buff streaking on upperparts. Underparts buff and white with variable amount of fine streaking in adults. Face has pale lores. Wings and tail brown with black streaks. Bill grey with yellow lower mandible, legs and feet pink. Immatures lack streaking on underparts and have more yellowish coloration. Sexes have similar plumage.

Range and Habitat

Aquatic Warbler: Rare autumn visitor in areas of southern Britain. Stops off on its way between breeding grounds in eastern Europe and its winter home in West Africa. Found in thick vegetation close to the ground or water in coastal reedbeds along the southern coast.

Breeding and Nesting

Aquatic Warbler: Polygamous and polyandrous, with nestlings in a single nest sired by as many as five males. Nests are built from reeds and are often situated about a foot above marshy ground or in a clump of sedge in shallow water. Eggs may be incubated by both sexes and two clutches may be laid.

Foraging and Feeding

Aquatic Warbler: Feeds mostly on small invertebrates such as spiders, flies, caterpillars and grubs, which are picked off vegetation or taken in flight. Also eats berries. Diet varies seasonally based on availability. Often feeds from the ground.

Vocalisation

Aquatic Warbler: Not easily described. Roughly a somewhat monotonous "trrrrr-dew-dew-dew-churrrrr-di-di-di." Call is "tuk," "chuck," or "cher-cherr."

Similar Species

Aquatic Warbler: The Sedge Warbler has weaker black streaking on the mantle. It also has narrower striping of the upperparts.

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Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Face

The front part of the head consisting of the bill, eyes, cheeks and chin.

Lower mandible

The lower part of the bill.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of the United Kingdom