Blyth's Reed Warbler

Overview

Blyth's reed warbler (Acrocephalus dumetorum) is a small bird in the family Acrocephalidae that breeds across the Palearctic region and winters in South Asia. The species is currently expanding its breeding range westwards in Europe, having recently established populations in the Netherlands and Scotland.

Identification

• Length of 12 to 14 cm with a slim body, short rounded wings, and a long, thick greyish-brown bill.
• Plain olive-brown upperparts with less olive on the wings, contrasting with plain off-white underparts.
• A short whitish supercilium runs between the base of the bill and the eye, accompanied by a dusky stripe through the eye.
• Song is variable, mixing harsh sounds like ticks, chaks, and churrs with melodious whistles and mimicry.

Habitat

The species breeds in damp broadleaved woodland edges, clearings, wooded gullies, parks, gardens, scrub, and coniferous forest. In winter, it inhabits trees in both wet and dry habitats across India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.

Did you know?

The genus name Acrocephalus derives from Ancient Greek meaning 'highest head', though it is possible that early naturalists misinterpreted the prefix 'akros' as meaning 'sharp-pointed' rather than 'highest'.