Australian Reed Warbler
Acrocephalus australis
The Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis) is a uncommon reed warbler found in 6 countries, weighing about 18 g. The Australian reed warbler is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus and is the only Acrocephalus species native to Australia.
About the Australian Reed Warbler
The Australian reed warbler is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus and is the only Acrocephalus species native to Australia. It has also been observed in Papua New Guinea and nearby islands. The name Acrocephalus refers to the peaked crown found on reed warblers in this genus and can be translated to mean "topmost head" in Greek. The species name australis is translated to mean "southern" in Latin, and refers to the species range, Australia. In its western range the Australian reed warbler is also known as "Koordjikotji" in the local Aboriginal language of Perth and its surrounds.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Voice: Described as a sweet melodious warble with rich fluty notes as well as hard and metallic sounding notes, Australian reed warbler song is loud and varied. The song of this species consists of sets of short sequences consisting of a pattern of sounds that is repeated, after a 3-5 second interval, in varied combinations.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in New Zealand.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in October. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an Australian Reed Warbler?
- Voice: Described as a sweet melodious warble with rich fluty notes as well as hard and metallic sounding notes, Australian reed warbler song is loud and varied. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an Australian Reed Warbler?
- The Australian Reed Warbler is a small sized bird weighing about 18 g.
- Where can you see an Australian Reed Warbler?
- The Australian Reed Warbler occurs in 6 countries, including Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands.
- What birds look similar to an Australian Reed Warbler?
- The Australian Reed Warbler is most easily confused with the Clamorous Reed Warbler, the Lesser Swamp Warbler and the Great Reed Warbler.
- Is the Australian Reed Warbler endangered?
- The Australian Reed Warbler is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Australian Reed Warbler for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.