Great Reed Warbler
Acrocephalus arundinaceus
The great reed warbler is an insectivorous bird in the family Acrocephalidae. It is a medium-sized passerine bird and the largest of the European warblers.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_reed_warbler
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Acrocephalidae
Genus
Acrocephalus
Great Reed Warbler belongs to the family Acrocephalidae, order Passeriformes, within the Aves class.
Species Profile
The great reed warbler is an insectivorous bird in the family Acrocephalidae. It is a medium-sized passerine bird and the largest of the European warblers. It breeds throughout mainland Europe and the Western Palearctic and migrates to sub-Saharan Africa in the winter. It favours reed beds during the breeding season, while living in reed beds, bush thickets, rice fields, and forest clearings during the winter. It exhibits relatively low sexual dimorphism, and the sexes are similar in appearance. This species mates both polygynously and monogamously.
The Great Reed Warbler faces severe population declines primarily due to widespread destruction and degradation of wetland habitats across its breeding and wintering ranges. Agricultural intensification, urban development, and water management practices have eliminated crucial reed bed ecosystems, while climate change is altering precipitation patterns and water levels in remaining suitable habitats.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
clutch of eggs]] The great reed warbler breeds in Europe and the west Palearctic. It does not breed in Great Britain, where only the closely related, smaller common reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus occurs, but is an irregular visitor. Its population has in recent decades increased around the eastern Baltic Sea, while it has become rarer at the western end of its range. It is a migratory bird,...
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Great Reed Warbler faces severe population declines primarily due to widespread destruction and degradation of wetland habitats across its breeding and wintering ranges. Agricultural intensification, urban development, and water management practices have eliminated crucial reed bed ecosystems, while climate change is altering precipitation patterns and water levels in remaining suitable habitats.
Agricultural intensification and land conversion
Water management and drainage of wetlands
Wetland habitat loss and degradation
Climate change affecting water levels
Reed bed management practices
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/great-reed-warbler