Oriental Reed Warbler
Acrocephalus orientalis
The Oriental Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis) is a uncommon reed warbler found in 22 countries, weighing about 24 g. The Oriental reed warbler is a passerine bird of eastern Asia belonging to the reed warbler genus Acrocephalus.
About the Oriental Reed Warbler
The Oriental reed warbler is a passerine bird of eastern Asia belonging to the reed warbler genus Acrocephalus. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the great reed warbler of the western Palearctic.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
It is a large warbler, 18–20 cm long with a wingspan of 23–26 cm. The plumage is brown above with a paler rump and whitish tips to the tail feathers. The underparts are whitish below, browner on the flanks and undertail-coverts. There are narrow greyish streaks on the throat and breast. It has a dark eyestripe and a whitish stripe above the eye. The fairly long, heavy bill is brownish above and pink below with a bright orange gape. The feet are grey. It is slightly smaller, slenderer and shorter-winged than the great reed warbler.
What the Oriental Reed Warbler sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Australia, Timor-Leste.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in May. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an Oriental Reed Warbler?
- It is a large warbler, 18–20 cm long with a wingspan of 23–26 cm. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an Oriental Reed Warbler?
- The Oriental Reed Warbler is a small sized bird weighing about 24 g.
- Where can you see an Oriental Reed Warbler?
- The Oriental Reed Warbler occurs in 22 countries, including Taiwan, Thailand, China, Japan and South Korea.
- What does an Oriental Reed Warbler sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Oriental Reed Warbler on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to an Oriental Reed Warbler?
- The Oriental Reed Warbler is most easily confused with the Moustached Warbler, the Paddyfield Warbler and the Black-browed Reed Warbler.
- Is the Oriental Reed Warbler endangered?
- The Oriental Reed Warbler is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Oriental Reed Warbler for real
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