# Common Reed Warbler

*Acrocephalus scirpaceus*

They are a primary host for the Common Cuckoo, which mimics the appearance of Reed Warbler eggs to trick them into raising a giant parasitic chick.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Acrocephalidae › Acrocephalus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Dense reed beds (Phragmites) located along rivers, lakes, and marshes.
- **Diet:** Primarily insectivorous, feeding on flies, beetles, and spiders; occasionally consumes small berries during autumn migration.
- **Range:** Europe, Western Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
- **Size:** Length: 13 cm; Wingspan: 17-21 cm; Weight: 10-15 g.
- **Lifespan:** Typically 2-3 years, with a recorded maximum of 12 years.
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Wetland drainage, habitat fragmentation, and climate-induced shifts in migration timing.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and shy. Maintain a respectful distance from reed beds during nesting season (April-July) to avoid disturbing fragile nests. If you find a chick on the ground, leave it alone as parents are likely nearby; if visibly injured, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator.

## About

The Eurasian reed warbler , or just reed warbler ( Acrocephalus scirpaceus ) is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus . It breeds across Europe into temperate western Asia. It is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/30dfd74d-6548-4bc0-bf00-56e330c0c3bb
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/204455
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrocephalus scirpaceus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/355963136/medium.jpg (Alan Shearman, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.