Acrocephalidae – Reed & Brush Warblers Etc.
Acrocephalidae (Reed & Brush Warblers & Allies) are small, insectivorous passerines. Formerly in the paraphyletic Old World warbler assemblage, they are now separated. The family is sometimes simply called marsh warblers or reed warblers, but this invites confusion especially in North America, where it is common to use lower case for bird species. Following DND analysis, the family of ‘Reed Warblers & allies’ was separated from the ‘super family’ of Old-World Warblers and named Acrocephalidae.
They are generally rather drab brownish warblers usually associated with marshes or other wetlands. Some are streaked, others plain. A number of species are migratory (species breeding in temperate regions are strongly migratory). Many species have a flat head profile, which gives rise to the group’s scientific name.
Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus – ©Ashley Beolens
The most enigmatic species, the Large-billed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus orinus, was rediscovered in Thailand (2006); it was found also in a remote corner of Afghanistan too (2009). Prior to these recent sightings, it had been found only once before (1867).
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus – ©Ashley Beolens
The genus name Acrocephalus, which contains more than half of the family, is from Ancient Greek akros, ‘highest’, and kephale, ‘head’. It is possible that Naumann thought akros meant ‘sharp-pointed’.
Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris – ©Ashley Beolens
They are familiar birds of marshes, swamps, and woodlands throughout the Old World and are united by their plain plumage in brown and olive tones, most species with a faint eye-line, but with extensive striping and patterning on the back in many. The family occurs mostly in southern to western Eurasia and surroundings, but also ranges far into the Pacific, with some species in Africa. Many are endemic to specific Pacific islands, although, interestingly, the islands apparently were colonised in several separate waves, so nearby species are not necessarily the most closely related.
Some members of this family sing long, complicated songs with many syllables learned over time, yet it is still not entirely clear how the size of the male’s vocal repertoire or the complexity of his songs is related to sexual selection in these species.
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Number of bird species: 54
(As at November 2025)
According to the recently (2025) amalgamated AviList, there are fifty-four species of Reed Warblers, Brush Warblers and allies, in seven genera in the Acrocephalidae family (Although well over half are in just one genus). They are:
Grauer’s Warbler Graueria vittata
Aldabra Brush Warbler Nesillas aldabrana
Malagasy Brush Warbler Nesillas typica
Subdesert Brush Warbler Nesillas lantzii
Grand Comoro Brush Warbler Nesillas brevicaudata
Moheli Brush Warbler Nesillas mariae
Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina
Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta
Upcher’s Warbler Hippolais languida
Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum
Thick-billed Warbler Arundinax aedon
Booted Warbler Iduna caligata
Sykes’s Warbler Iduna rama
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Iduna pallida
Western Olivaceous Warbler Iduna opaca
Mountain Yellow Warbler Iduna similis
African Yellow Warbler Iduna natalensis
Papyrus Yellow Warbler Calamonastides gracilirostris
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Black-browed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps
Speckled Reed Warbler Acrocephalus sorghophilus
Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola
Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon
Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola
Manchurian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus tangorum
Blunt-winged Warbler Acrocephalus concinens
Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum
Large-billed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus orinus
Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris
Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis
Seychelles Warbler Acrocephalus sechellensis
Madagascan Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus newtoni
Rodrigues Warbler Acrocephalus rodericanus
Lesser Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris
Cape Verde Warbler Acrocephalus brevipennis
Greater Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus rufescens
Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus
Oriental Reed Warbler Acrocephalus orientalis
Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus
Saipan Reed Warbler Acrocephalus hiwae
Australian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus australis
Carolinian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus syrinx
Bokikokiko Acrocephalus aequinoctialis
Southern Marquesan Reed Warbler Acrocephalus mendanae
Nauru Reed Warbler Acrocephalus rehsei
Millerbird Acrocephalus familiaris
Pitcairn Reed Warbler Acrocephalus vaughani
Henderson Reed Warbler Acrocephalus taiti
Rimatara Reed Warbler Acrocephalus rimitarae
Cook Reed Warbler Acrocephalus kerearako
Tahiti Reed Warbler Acrocephalus caffer
Northern Marquesan Reed Warbler Acrocephalus percernis
Tuamotu Reed Warbler Acrocephalus atyphus
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Acrocephalidae
Family AccountAcrocephalids generally build cup nests that are constructed of grasses and reeds and lined with finer material, including plant down and feathers. -
Acrocephalidae
Family AccountThe Acrocephalidae (the reed warblers, marsh- and tree-warblers, or acrocephalid warblers) are a family of oscine passerine birds, in the superfamily...
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African Yellow Warbler Chloropeta natalensis
Species AccountThe African yellow warbler, Natal yellow warbler, dark-capped yellow warbler, or yellow flycatcher-warbler (Iduna natalensis) is a species of Acrocephalidae warblers; formerly, these were placed in the paraphyletic "Old World warblers". -
African Yellow Warbler Chloropeta natalensis
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Aldabra Brush Warbler Nesillas aldabrana
Species AccountThe Aldabra brush warbler (Nesillas aldabrana) is an extinct bird in the acrocephalid warbler family. -
Aldabra Brush Warbler Nesillas aldabrana
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola
Species AccountThe Arctic warbler (Phylloscopus borealis) is a widespread leaf warbler in birch or mixed birch forest near water throughout its breeding range in Fennoscandia and northern Asia. It has established a foothold in North America, breeding in Alaska. This warbler is strongly migratory; the entire population winters in southeast Asia. It therefore has one of the longest migrations of any Old World insectivorous bird. -
Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Black-browed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps
Species AccountThe black-browed reed warbler (Acrocephalus bistrigiceps) is a species of marsh-warbler (family Acrocephalidae). It was formerly included in the "Old World warbler" assemblage. It is found in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. -
Black-browed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Booted Warbler Iduna caligata
Species AccouThe booted warbler (Iduna caligata) is a species of passerine bird belonging to the family Acrocephalidae, the reed and tree warblers. -
Booted Warbler Iduna caligata
Species AccouSound archive and distribution map. -
Clamorous Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus
Species AccountThe clamorous reed warbler (Acrocephalus stentoreus) is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus. It breeds from Egypt eastwards through Pakistan, Afghanistan and northernmost India to south China, southeast Asia and south to Australia. A. s. meridionalis is an endemic race in Sri Lanka. -
Clamorous Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Eurasian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Species AccountThe Eurasian reed warbler, or just reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus. It breeds across Europe into temperate western Asia. It is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. -
Eurasian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Grauer's Warbler Graueria vittata
Species AccountGrauer's warbler (Graueria vittata) is a species of Old World warbler in the family Acrocephalidae. -
Grauer's Warbler Graueria vittata
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus
Species AccountThe great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) is a Eurasian passerine in the genus Acrocephalus. -
Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina
Species AccountThe icterine warbler (Hippolais icterina) is an Old World warbler in the tree warbler genus Hippolais. It breeds in mainland Europe except the southwest, where it is replaced by its western counterpart, melodious warbler. It is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. -
Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris
Species AccountMedium-sized brown warbler, very similar to Eurasian Reed-Warbler. -
Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Papyrus Yellow Warbler Calamonastides gracilirostris
Species AccountMid-sized, long-billed warbler, with rich yellow underparts and an olive-green back. -
Papyrus Yellow Warbler Calamonastides gracilirostris
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Species AccountThe sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus. It is a medium-sized warbler with a brown, streaked back and wings and a distinct pale supercilium. Sedge warblers are migratory, crossing the Sahara to get from their European and Asian breeding grounds to spend winter in Africa. -
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map. -
Thick-billed Warbler Arundinax aedon
Species AccountThe thick-billed warbler (Arundinax aedon) breeds in the temperate east Palearctic, from south Siberia to west Mongolia -
Thick-billed Warbler Arundinax aedon
Species AccountSound archive and distribution map.