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Australian Reed-WarblerAlternate name(s): "Clamorous Reed-warbler", "Long-billed Reed-Warbler", "Reedbird"; Misnomers: "Water-sparrow", "Reedlark", "Nightingale*" ![]() Size: 16-17 cm Weight: 12-23 g |
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Similar species |
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See Australian
Reed-Warbler at Wikipedia ![]() |
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Photos |
Race "australis"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Full-frontal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler with its prey
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
Frontal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2007]
Near-frontal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler; slightly different posture
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2007]
Near-frontal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler issuing its
call
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]
Near-lateral view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, August 2017]
Near-lateral/ventral view of an Australian Reed-Warbler,
possibly in fresh plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, March 2019]
Lateral view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]
Near-lateral view of an Australian Reed-Warbler issuing
its call (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Botanical Garden, Melbourne, VIC, October 2017)]
Lateral view of an Australian Reed-Warbler hunting in
reeds
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]
Near-dorsal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
(phot courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2020]
Near-dorsal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, August 2017)]
Near-dorsal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler issuing its
call
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, August 2017)]
Dorsal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]
Dorsal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, August 2017)]
Australian Reed-Warbler launching itself into the air
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]
Lateral view of an Australian Reed-Warbler in flight
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]
Australian Reed-Warbler using algal growth to support its weight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2010]
Soaking wet Australian Reed-Warbler straight out of the bath tub
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2015]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Fledgling Australian Reed-Warbler waiting to be fed; this is one
of the juveniles whose calls were recorded on 18
December 2016
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
Here an Australian Reed-Warbler that looks a bit ruffled, possibly a
young bird
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, January 2011]
Slightly unsharp near-frontal view of a juvenile Australian Reed-Warbler
waiting to be fed
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
Close-up near-dorsal view of a juvenile Australian Reed-Warbler
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2012]
Two juvenile Australian Reed-Warblers waiting to be fed
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2012]
Two juvenile Australian Reed-Warblers being fed
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2012]
Juvenile Australian Reed-Warbler hiding in lignum, waiting to be fed
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, November 2013]
Race "gouldi"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Lateral view of an Australian Reed-Warbler; the dark head
and the long bill suggest that it is race "gouldi" -
this it the bird whose
territorial
calls were recorded on 30 December 2019 - it is therefore
likely a male
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston Golf Club, Palmerston, NT, December 2019]
Sex unknown |
Near-lateral view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, January 2020]
Near-lateral view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, January 2020]
Lateral view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, January 2015]
Lateral view of an Australian Reed-Warbler; note the greyish appearance
of this bird in dark conditions
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, January 2015]
Near-dorsal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Herdsman Lake, Perth, WA, January 2015]
Near-dorsal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, January 2020]
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MALE |
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Sep - Dec | Eggs: 3 - 4 | Incubation period: 14 - 15 days | Fledging age: 14 - 16 days |
The breeding season can be extended inland depending on rainfall.
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "malunna" = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Suspended basket | Material: Reeds | Height above ground: 0.5 - 1 m |
Nest that is becoming visible at the end of the breeding season,
when reeds thin out
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2011]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 20 x 14 mm | Colour: White, with dark-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Sedentary | Elementary unit: Pair |
Australian Reed Warblers usually stay in the cover of reeds such as cumbungi and are only rarely seen on higher perches.
Australian Reed-Warbler up in the crown of a riverside
eucalypt
(click on image for a wider overview)
[Pilliga, NSW, December 2018]
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Food, Diet |
Adults: Insects, spiders | Dependents: Like adults | Water intake: ? |
Like all warblers of the Acrocephalus family known to us, Australian Reed-Warblers feed on insects that they catch in flight or pick from reeds.
Australian Reed-Warbler picking aphids off the underside of leaves
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Road Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, August 2017)]
Australian Reed-Warbler with its prey, an insect
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, December 2016]
This Australian Reed-Warbler has caught not an insect, but what
looks like a spider
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2012]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
clmrwrb_20170816.m4a |
australis (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls | © MD | |
clmrwrb_art_20131215.m4a |
australis (SE QLD) |
Territorial calls | © ART | |
clmrwrb_art_20131214.m4a |
australis (SE QLD) |
Various | © ART | |
clmrwrb_20151222.m4a |
australis (NW NSW) |
Adult with begging juveniles | © MD | |
clmrwrb_pb_20191230.m4a |
gouldi (Top End, NT) |
Territorial calls (male) | © PB |
More Australian Reed-Warbler sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.