Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cetti
The Cetti's Warbler (Cettia cetti) is a common bush warbler found in 56 countries, weighing about 13 g. Cetti's warbler is a small, brown warbler in the family Cettiidae, which breeds in southern and western Europe, northwest Africa and the east Palearctic as far as Afghanistan and northwest Pakistan.










About the Cetti's Warbler
Cetti's warbler is a small, brown warbler in the family Cettiidae, which breeds in southern and western Europe, northwest Africa and the east Palearctic as far as Afghanistan and northwest Pakistan. The sexes are alike. The bird is named after the 18th-century Italian zoologist, Francesco Cetti. This species is often difficult to see because of its skulking habits.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Cetti's warbler is approximately 13–14 cm (5.1–5.5 in) from bill to tail. The male weighs 15 g (0.53 oz) and the female 12 g (0.42 oz). Cetti's warbler has a rounded head with a narrow pale grey stripe arching over conspicuous black eyes, and short, rounded wings. The upperparts are a rich chestnut or dark reddish-brown; the throat and breast are pale grey-brown. The tail is longer and broader than many other warblers. The sexes have similar plumage, but males are 26% to 32% heavier than females with a wing-length 11.2% to 13% longer.
What the Cetti's Warbler sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in India, Czechia, Afghanistan, Isle of Man.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in April. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Cetti's Warbler?
- Cetti's warbler is approximately 13–14 cm (5.1–5.5 in) from bill to tail. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Cetti's Warbler?
- The Cetti's Warbler is a tiny sized bird weighing about 13 g.
- Where can you see a Cetti's Warbler?
- The Cetti's Warbler occurs in 56 countries, including Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Portugal and Belgium.
- What does a Cetti's Warbler sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Cetti's Warbler on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Cetti's Warbler?
- The Cetti's Warbler is most easily confused with the Chestnut-headed Tesia, the Grey-sided Bush Warbler and the Chestnut-crowned Bush Warbler.
- Is the Cetti's Warbler endangered?
- The Cetti's Warbler is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Cetti's 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.