Alternative name: Cape Reed Warbler
- Acrocephalus gracilirostris
Identification
14-16 cm long and weighing around 20 g. Brown upperparts, white supercilium and underparts, rufous wash to the flanks. The long, strong bill has a slightly down-curved upper mandible; it is blackish-yellow with a yellower base. Blue-grey legs, brown eyes. Adults of both sexes and juvenile birds are very similar in appearance.
Distribution
Sub-Saharan Africa: From Nigeria, Chad, Sudan and Ethiopia in the north, south to South Africa. Absent west of Nigeria.
Taxonomy
The Lesser Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris, is an 'Old World' Warbler with eight subspecies:
- A. g. gracilirostris;
- A. g. neglectus;
- A. g. jacksoni;
- A. g. tsanae;
- A. g. leptorhynchus;
- A. g. parvus;
- A. g. cunensis; and
- A. g. winterbottomi.
Habitat
Reedbeds in standing water.
Behaviour
It builds a deep, firm cup nest from strips of reed blades, grass and sedges, which is lined with finer grasses. 2-3 brown eggs are laid.
Diet includes insects and other small invertebrates, often taken from the water surface.
Gallery
Click on photo for larger image
Photo by steven(sa)
South Africa, April 2009
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
