Sedge Warbler
(Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)
Alert Status: Green – 39% decline
Identifying Features: The sedge warbler is a small, quite plump, warbler with a striking broad creamy stripe above its eye and greyish brown legs. It is brown above with blackish streaks and creamy white underneath.
Average Length: 13 cm
Average Lifespan: 2 years
Average Wingspan: 17 - 21 cm
Beak type: Insects
Feeding:
Natural: Insects, berries in Autumn
Nesting: The nest, built by the female, is in vegetation on the ground or up to a height of 50 cm. The cup-shaped structure has an outer layer of grass, stems and leaves, plus spiders' webs, with a thick, finer layer inside including reed flowers, animal hair and plant down. It is woven around vertical plant stems.
Where to see: Sedge warblers are found across the UK. A good place to try in summer is near a reedbed or a damp wetland, particularly near dawn and dusk when sedge warblers are most active. Look for singing birds perched on the outside of a bush.