Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus) [XC839915]
by Stein \u00d8. Nilsen from Bassa de les Olles, Parc Natural del Delta de l'Ebre, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain (song)
Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) [XC181353]
by Ilkka Heiskanen from Kluisbergen, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams Gewest, Poland (song)
Nest
A deep cup of plant material, attached to six or so reed stems, mostly in thick reedbeds.
Eggs (Guide)
Usually 4 - 5; pale green or blue, spotted dark brown, olive.
Subspecies
Often considered conspecific with Oriental Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis) or Basra Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus griseldis), or with both, but recent studies with genetic markers support treatment of all as distinct species. Has hybridized with Clamorous Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus stentoreus) in Kazakhstan. Also, two cases of hybridization with Eurasian Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) recently reported from Germany and Belgium.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
arundinaceus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Breeds Europe (except north-western and north), north-western Africa and Turkey east to Volga Basin, Caucasus and Caspian Sea. Non-breeding sub-Saharan Africa.
zarudnyi Hartert, 1907 - Breeds northern Iraq and northern Iran, and from R Volga and Caspian Sea east to north-western Mongolia and south to Tajikistan and north-western China (western Xinjiang). Non-breeding sub-Saharan Africa.
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7
BirdLife International Species Factsheet