River Warbler (Locustella fluviatilis) | Photos, Calls and ID

LCLeast ConcernInvertebrates

WetlandCup nestSmall · 16 g

River Warbler (Locustella fluviatilis), photo 1 — Photo: Михаил Малышев · CC BY 4.0

River Warbler (Locustella fluviatilis), photo 2 — Photo: Ксения Волянская · CC BY 4.0

River Warbler (Locustella fluviatilis), photo 7 — Photo: (c) Вячеслав Юсупов, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

River Warbler (Locustella fluviatilis), photo 8 — Photo: (c) Christoph Moning, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

River Warbler (Locustella fluviatilis), photo 9 — Photo: (c) Griha Hasanov, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

River Warbler (Locustella fluviatilis), photo 10 — Photo: (c) Людмила Алимова, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

What the River Warbler sounds like

Sonogram of the River Warbler: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.

Recorded by Glenn Costello · Song · Borlänge, Borlänge Municipality, Dalarnas län, Sweden · CC BY 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Recorded by Robert Petersen · Song · Rimbo, Norrtälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Recorded by tsilianidis saky · Uncertain · Serres, Central Macedonia, Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace, Greece · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

This is a largish warbler. The adult has an unstreaked grey-brown back, whitish grey underparts, and a darker undertail, which has white feather tips giving a contrasting pattern. The sexes are identical, as with most warblers, but young birds are yellower below. Some birds can show reduced dark markings on the undertail coverts (caused by more extensive than usual white tips) and thus are closer in appearance to Savi's warbler than typical river warblers. However, they typically still have a streaked breast and more olive colouration on the upperparts.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the River Warbler

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 3 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is June, the month with the most records.

Where to see the River Warbler

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 44 countries with regular records, and 3 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Recorded as a rare visitor in France, Switzerland, Iceland.

About the River Warbler

The river warbler is an Old World warbler in the genus Locustella. It breeds in eastern and central Europe and is migratory, wintering in inland southern Africa, from around the Zambezi River south to the vicinity of Pretoria in South Africa.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Taiwan Bush WarblerLocustella alishanensisThe Taiwan bush warbler is about 14 cm (5.5 in) long and weighs about 10 g (0.35 oz).

Lanceolated WarblerLocustella lanceolataThe lanceolated warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the genus Locustella.

Russet Bush WarblerLocustella mandelliThe russet bush warbler is a songbird species.

Side by side: Common Grasshopper Warbler vs River Warbler · River Warbler vs Savi's Warbler · River Warbler vs Taiwan Bush Warbler

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