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26

Australian Reed-Warbler

(Acrocephalus australis)
Alternate name(s): "Clamorous Reed-warbler", "Long-billed Reed-Warbler", "Reedbird";
Misnomers: "Water-sparrow", "Reedlark", "Nightingale*"
Aboriginal name(s): Race "gouldi": "koordjikotji" (WA)

Size: 16-17 cm
Weight: 12-23 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Australian Reed-Warbler at Wikipedia .

Click here for classification information

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "australis"

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]

Frontal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, January 2021]

Near-frontal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, September 2021]

Near-frontal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
[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 view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, January 2022]

Near-lateral view of a moulting Australian Reed-Warbler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, January 2021]

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 a moulting Australian Reed-Warbler (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, January 2021]

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)]

Dorsal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler
[Old Quipolly Dam, near Quirindi, NSW, January 2022]

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]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Close-up frontal portrait of a juvenile Australian Reed-Warbler
[Pilliga, NSW, December 2022]

Close-up lateral portrait of a juvenile Australian Reed-Warbler
[Pilliga, NSW, December 2022]

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"

ADULT

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

Frontal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, August 2022]

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 C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, August 2022]

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]

Dorsal view of an Australian Reed-Warbler in shady conditions (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, August 2022]

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.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Suspended basket Material: Reeds Height above ground: 0.5 - 1 m

Close-up view of an Australian Reed-Warbler nest (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, February 2021]

Australian Reed Warbler nest that is becoming visible at the end of the breeding season, when reeds thin out
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2011]

Australian Reed-Warbler working on its nest (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, August 2022]

Australian Reed-Warbler carrying nest material (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Monger, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 20 x 14 mm Colour: White, with dark-brown speckles Shape: Tapered oval

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]

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]

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_20210428.m4a australis
(NW NSW)
Warning calls © MD
clmrwrb_art_20131214.m4a australis
(SE QLD)
Various © ART
clmrwrb_20151222.m4a australis
(NW NSW)
Adult with begging juveniles © MD
clmrwrb_20221220.mp3 australis
(NW NSW)
Begging calls (juvenile) + being fed © MD
clmrwrb_20220315.m4a australis
(NW NSW)
? (break of dawn) © 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 .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.