Listen to the marsh warbler
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the marsh warbler
The marsh warbler is a bird in the family Acrocephalidae (order Passeriformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”. Adults have a wingspan of about 20 cm and weigh around 2 g.
What does the marsh warbler sound like?
Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round. Listening for both helps with identification.
The recordings here are labelled as song. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
The marsh warbler (Acrocephalus palustris) is an Old World warbler currently classified in the family Acrocephalidae. It breeds in temperate Europe and the western Palearctic and winters mainly in southeast Africa. It is notable for incorporating striking imitations of a wide variety of other birds into its song.
The marsh warbler breeds in a variety of mostly damp habitats, but in Africa winters mainly in dry, well-vegetated areas. It is common over much of its breeding range and expanding its distribution in some areas. However, in Britain it is now virtually extinct as a breeding bird, though the reasons for its decline are unclear. This insectivorous warbler can be easily confused with several close relatives, but the imitative song of the male is highly distinctive.
Related birds in the genus Acrocephalus
Great reed warbler
Acrocephalus arundinaceus
Common reed warbler
Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Sedge warbler
Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Blyth's reed warbler
Acrocephalus dumetorum
Moustached warbler
Acrocephalus melanopogon
Clamorous reed warbler
Acrocephalus stentoreus
African reed warbler
Acrocephalus baeticatus
More from the family Acrocephalidae
Frequently asked questions
What does a marsh warbler sound like?
You can hear 4 recordings of the marsh warbler on this page, including its song. Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round.
Is the marsh warbler endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the marsh warbler as “least concern”.
What family does the marsh warbler belong to?
The marsh warbler (Acrocephalus palustris) belongs to the family Acrocephalidae in the order Passeriformes.
Sources & credits
- Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus palustris) (W ACROCEPHALUS PALUSTRIS R10 C2) – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Song · Herrebrotippen, Norrköping municipality, Östergötland… by Robert Petersen – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Acrocephalus palustris, sang, 18s, 2017-02-25 13h52, Moreletakloof, a by JMK – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Song · Viggiù, Provincia di Varese, Lombardia, Italy by Mirko Tomasi – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q210422 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Marsh warbler – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo – CC BY-SA 3.0