Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus (Linnaeus, 1758)

2018-06-05 Tyumen region, Yalutorovsk	© Dmitry Porshnev

Description

The Great Reed Warbler is much larger than other Reed Warblers (except the allied Clamorous Reed Warbler), larger than Sparrow. The upperparts are brownish-olive, underparts are whitish buffy tinged especially on the flanks. There is dark eye-strip; the supercilium is light and clear. Both sexes are similar. The autumn plumage differs insignificantly; the upperparts are rustier, underparts are more buffy. Juveniles are similar on adults; more rufous; the fresh non- stale primaries (as and the tail feathers) have broad rusty edges (adults have old edges). The wing form: 1st primary is tip, shorter than coverts; 2nd primary is about equal on 3rd (may be some shorter or longer) and longer than 4th; the top of wing is formed by 2-4th primaries. The outer web of 3rd primary is slightly narrowed. The tail is rounded, the outer tail feathers are shorter than central one on 8-11 mm. Weight 25-38 grams, lenght 19-21, wing 8,6-10,2, wingspan 25-30 cm.

References