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PLATE 86: ACROCEPHALUS WARBLERS I
Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus pm, wv
L: 19. Eastern subspecies zarudnyi occurs on passage; compared with nominate subspecies is more
olive, less rufous, especially on rump, and whiter below, with a pale supercilium, dusky lores and
light brown streaks on the white throat. Contrasting buffier rump shows in flight. Compared with
Clamorous Reed has longer primary projection with 7–8 primary tips showing, proportionately
shorter tail and shorter, slightly stouter bill. Moults in winter quarters. Voice Loud and powerful
song with repetitive character; common phrase trr-trr, karra-karra-karra, kreee-kreee-kreee. Habitat
Reedbeds; on passage also in drier habitats. Note Passage hatched.Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus RB, pm, wv
L: 18. The subspecies brunnescens (Indian Reed Warbler) occurs. Greyish-olive in fresh plumage,
whitish below with buff flanks, and long tapering pointed bill. Primary projection shorter than Great
Reed. Moults post-breeding. Voice Loud, strident song, similar in tempo but more melodious than
Great Reed Warbler, witch-a-witch-a witch, chew-chew-chew-chew, skatchy, skatchy, skatchy, vachoo
vachoo vachoo, frequently including the phrase rod-o-petch-iss. Call a loud abrupt tjuck or rolled
churr. Habitat Breeds in mangroves and reedbeds (including inland); also in scrub, woodland, date
gardens post-breeding and in winter. Note Resident Iran and Arabia, dispersive or augmented by
(usually biometrically larger) migrants in non-breeding season; range gradually expanding north and
west.Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon V
L: 13. Similar to Sedge Warbler but has broad, clear-cut white supercilium, ending squarely on
side of nape and dividing blackish crown and greyish ear-coverts; more uniform, rufous-brown
upperparts (less obviously streaked than in Sedge), with whiter throat and warmer brown flanks.
Eastern subspecies mimicus occurs, which has shortish primary projection. Keeps low in vegetation
or on ground where unobtrusive, often cocking and flicking tail nervously (also when singing).
Voice Song with intermittent characteristic Common Nightingale-like lu-lu-lu. Call a loud trr-trr,
soft, short tcht, longer trr-trrrrr and a hard tack. Habitat Reedbeds, swampy thickets. Note Passage
hatched; vagrant Bahrain, Oman, UAE.Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus pm, wv
L: 13. Streaked, with buffish-white supercilium; confusable with Moustached Warbler and told by
buffier, less square-cut supercilium, slightly paler crown, paler ear-coverts and buffier, more
streaked upperparts, which merge into warmer-coloured rump, and distinctly longer primary
projection. First-winter Sedge Warbler is yellower than adult, shows paler centre to crown and fine
spotting on breast. Voice Song fast, often rising and falling; often starts song with rapid trr notes.
Mimetic. Call a hard chek and fast, churring trrr. Habitat Reedbeds, swampy thickets; drier habitats
on passage. Note Passage hatched.Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola pm, wv
L: 12. Slightly smaller than Caspian Reed Warbler and differing in shorter bill, more prominent
whitish-buff supercilium from bill to well behind eye (where most conspicuous), often with
suffused darkish border above, greyish nape shawl, dark-centred tertials with paler edges (unlike
Blyth’s Reed); shorter wings, and longer tail, which when landing or on the ground is often raised
slightly and constantly flicked. Underparts show warmer wash to flanks and undertail than other
unstreaked Acrocephalus. Bill brown with flesh-coloured lower mandible but distal part often darker
in adult (so can appear dark-tipped). Crown feathers often raised; iris pale in adults. Voice Calls
simple chik, chik, and a rolling churrr. Habitat Wetlands, grass or scrub. Note Passage hatched;
vagrant Bahrain, UAE.