Appearance:

Small and restless species easily confused with Sedge Warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, but showing both plumage and structural differences. Plumage differs from A. schoenobaenus in; broad, white supercilium ending without narrowing, dark crown (usually appears black), pure white throat, grey ear-coverts, dark legs and warm-rufous flanks, rump and neck. Facial markings recalling firecrest. Very short primary projection and longer, more evenly rounded tail recalling Wren when raised. Bill thinner than A. schoenobaenus. Skulky behaviour, forages low in vegetation, on ground or near water surface. Some variation in both size and plumage between western and eastern subspecies.

Sound:

Contact call a dry "trrrt", similar to corresponding call of Sedge Warbler. Song most resembling that of Reed Warbler (A, scirpaceus), but often includes diagnostic (unique among congeners), pure-sounding note sequence resembling crescendo of Common Nightingale (L. megarhynchos), before launching into typical Acrocephalus sounding song. This latter type can be sustained for some time without the diagnostic sequence and is more difficult to distinguish from A. scirpaceus. Note faster tempo and more variation.

Diagnostic song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:Radovan Václav, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Lars Buckx, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:ferran pestaña, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Large and long-tailed bunting with rufous rump. Mainly yellow and brown plumage. Head bright yellow with dark markings in breeding male. Female darker, with streaked head, yellow throat and supercilium. Back greyish and streaked . Rufous rump distinguishes it from Ortolan and Cirl Bunting. Underparts pale yellow, with relatively coarse streaking.

Sound:

Distinct contact call: A short and brittle "zeet", rich in harmonics. Song a series of 6-8 (or more) slightly ascending "tze" 's, rising in volume and ending on a sustained note, which may be lower or higher than the others. Often rendered as "little-bit-of-cheese-and-no-bread". Last note is often omitted, which may lead to confusion with Cirl Bunting. Timbre with prominent harmonics as in other bunting songs.

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:BiteYourBum.Com Photography, Licence,Link.