Acrocephalus paludicola is a widespread summer visitor to north-central and eastern Europe, which constitutes >95% of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is relatively small (<20,000 pairs), and underwent a large decline between 1970-1990. Although key populations in Belarus and Ukraine fluctuated during 1990- 2000, the species continued to decline in Poland, Lithuania and Germany, and is predicted to decline further (>30%) owing to ongoing habitat loss. Consequently, this globally threatened species is provisionally evaluated as Vulnerable in Europe.
Acrocephalus paludicola breeds across a highly fragmented range in (numbers are of singing males) Hungary (6001), Poland (2,900-3,000), Belarus (7,300-13,0003), Ukraine (2,400-3,4001), Russia (10-500 in European Russia, possibly 2,000-11,000 in western Siberia1), Germany (40-50) and Lithuania (250-4001). It is thought to winter in sub-Saharan west Africa, but the wintering range is poorly known. Two-thirds of the known population has been discovered since 1995, and the total population, excluding potential west Siberian breeders, is estimated at 13,500-21,000 singing males1. Since 1970, it is likely to have declined significantly as a result of destruction of 80-90% of its habitat in the river systems of upper Pripyat, Yaselda and Biebrza/Narew. These systems hold approximately 75% of the European population.

It breeds in lowland marsh habitats (mostly sedge fen mires) with water less than 10 cm deep1. It winters in similar habitats and, on migration, favours low stands of sedge and reed near open water.

Central and eastern Europe egg laying from early May to late July. Usually 1-2 broods. Nest built in dense vegetation (usually old sedge clump) over swampy ground or water. Mean height above surface: 17.0 cm (3-30). Nest is a neatly but rather loosely constructed cup of grass, plant stems and leaves, spiders' webs, and plant down, lined finer material; usually with roof, and more like nest of Reed Bunting than typical Acrocephalus. Clutch: 4-6 (3-8), incubated for 12-15 days. Chicks fledge after 13-14 days.

Predominantly insects. Taken almost exclusively while climbing or scurrying about in dense, low vegetation, though also recorded on warm autumn days feeding agilely higher up in (e.g.) bushes of willow.

The Aquatic Warbler has suffered a dramatic decline in the EU, mainly in central Europe. The current breeding population is unlikely to excess a hundred pairs. The causes of this decline are the frequent loss of nesting habitat, mainly due to land drainage associated with agricultural development and the cessation of traditional hand-scything, resulting in the expansion of dense reedbeds and scrubs wich are unsuitable for the species. Acrocephalus paludicola breeds across a highly fragmented range in (numbers are of singing males) Hungary (6001), Poland (2,900-3,000), Belarus (7,300-13,0003), Ukraine (2,400-3,4001), Russia (10-500 in European Russia, possibly 2,000-11,000 in western Siberia1), Germany (40-50) and Lithuania (250-4001). It is thought to winter in sub-Saharan west Africa, but the wintering range is poorly known. Two-thirds of the known population has been discovered since 1995, and the total population, excluding potential west Siberian breeders, is estimated at 13,500-21,000 singing males1. Since 1970, it is likely to have declined significantly as a result of destruction of 80-90% of its habitat in the river systems of upper Pripyat, Yaselda and Biebrza/Narew. These systems hold approximately 75% of the European population.

Locally scarce summer migrant of western Palearctic, from eastern Germany and Poland east across western and central Russia to western Siberia and south to Hungary. Winters in subtropical to tropical climatic zones of West Africa. (Baker K 1997) Local summer visitor Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, ? Austria (has bred), Hungary, Romania, European USSR; winters west tropical Africa (wintering grounds little known). Scarce migrant UK, Channel Is., France (has bred), Belgium (has bred), Netherlands (has bred), Germany (formerly bred), Switzerland, Italy. Vagrant Eire (12), Spain (44), Luxembourg, Denmark (15), Norway (6), Sweden (17), Finland (3), Malta, Romania (outside breeding areas), Yugoslavia (may breed), Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Cyprus, Jordan, north-west Africa, Canary Is., Azores. (Parmenter T Byers C 1991)

article number 1 Title
Monitoring Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola in Poland
Author(s): J. Krogulec and J. Kloskowski
Abstract: As a globally threatened species, the Aquatic Warbler requires a monitoring programme for population trends to be tracked. Such a programme should consider the timing of censuses to achieve precise ..[more]..
Source: Ornis Hungarica 12-13: 191-196. 2003
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article number 10 Title
Changing nesting dates and nest placement as adaptations of Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola to unstable nesting conditions on fen mires in Belarus
Author(s): Lyubov Vergeichik & Alexander Kozulin
Abstract: Between 1998 and 2005, several studies were undertaken into breeding phenology and nest placement of the Aquatic Warbler on the three largest fen mires in Belarus (Dikoe, Sporovo and Zvanets)..[more]..
Source: VOGELWELT 127: 145 - 155 (2006)
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article number 11 Title
Breeding ecology of Aquatic Warblers Acrocephalus paludicola in their key habitats in SW Belarus
Author(s): Lyubov VERGEICHIK & Alexander KOZULIN
Abstract: The breeding ecology of the Aquatic Warbler was studied on the three largest mires in Belarus in 1998-2004...[more]..
Source: ACTA ORNITHOLOGICA Vol. 41 (2006) No. 2
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article number 12 Title
Die aktuelle Situation des Seggenrohrsängers Acrocephalus paludicola in Deutschland
Author(s): ANGELA HELMECKE et al
Abstract: During the 20th century the Aquatic Warbler lost nearly all its breeding sites in Germany due to drainage of fen mires, land reclamation and intensified agriculture...[more]..
Source: Ber. Vogelschutz 40 (2003): 81-89
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article number 13 Title
AN INTRODUCTION TO AQUATIC WARBLER CONSERVATION IN WESTERN POMERANIA
Author(s): Franziska Tanneberger et al
Abstract: The Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola) is a globally threatened bird species. Around 1900, it was one of the most widespread birds in Central-European fen mires. The population severely decre..[more]..
Source: Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald
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article number 14 Title
Using stable isotopes to investigate migratory connectivity of the globally threatened aquatic warbler Acrocephalus paludicola
Author(s): Deborah J. Pain et al
Abstract: Understanding the links between breeding and wintering areas of migratory species has important ecological and conservation implications. Recently, stable isotope technology has been used to furthe..[more]..
Source: Oecologia (2004) 138: 168-174
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article number 15 Title
Offspring sex ratio variation in relation to brood size and mortality in a promiscuous species: the Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola
Author(s): ANDRZEJ DYRCZ et al
Abstract: We analyse nestling sex ratio variation in the Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola to test for predictions from sex allocation theory that the brood sex ratio is close to parity. We also teste..[more]..
Source: Ibis (2004),146, 269-280
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article number 2 Title
The African migration and wintering grounds of the Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola
Author(s): Norbert Schäffer, Bruno A. Walther, Kim Gutteridge and Carsten Rahbek
Abstract: There is a clear need for protection of the migration and wintering grounds of the Globally Threatened Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola, but little is known about them and the threats they fa..[more]..
Source: Bird Conservation International (2006) 16:33-56
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article number 3 Title
Identifying autumn migration routes for the globally threatened Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola
Author(s): R. JULLIARD et al
Abstract: The migration strategy of the globally threatened Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola needs to be known to ensure that effective action is taken to conserve its principal stopover sites...[more]..
Source: Ibis(2006), 148, 735-743
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article number 4 Title
DYNAMICS OF THE AQUATIC WARBLER (ACROCEPHALUS PALUDICOLA) POPULATION AT THE ZVANETS MIRE (BELARUS)
Author(s): Alexander KOZULIN, Lyubov VERGEICHYK
Abstract: The paper presents data of the 1999?2005 monitoring of the Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola) density, its timing of breeding and breeding success at the Zvanets mire, which hosts about 35% o..[more]..
Source: Acta Zoologica Lituanica, 2006, Volumen 16, Numerus 4
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article number 5 Title
Rapid deterioration of Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola habitats at the western margin of the breeding range
Author(s): Franziska Tanneberger et al
Abstract: In the last German breeding area of the rapidly declining ''Pomeranian'' population of the Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola), the Lower Oder Valley National Park, we investigated changes in ha..[more]..
Source: J Ornithol, 2007
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article number 6 Title
Factors affecting fluctuations of the Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola population of Byelarussian mires
Author(s): Alexander Kozulin
Abstract: Data on the density of Aquatic Warbler and plant associations in the marshes of the Sporovskiy reserve (Byelarus') were collected between 1996 and 2003. The species density changed between years from..[more]..
Source: ACTA ORNITHOLOGICA Vol. 39 (2004) No. 1
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article number 7 Title
Modelling the winter distribution of the Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola
Author(s): BRUNO A. WALTHER et al
Abstract: The conservation of migratory bird species poses special problems associated with their annual movements which often span continents, because species survival is dependent on the conservation of not..[more]..
Source: Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen
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article number 8 Title
Commercially cut reed as a new and sustainable habitat for the globally threatened Aquatic Warbler
Author(s): F. Tanneberger et al
Abstract: The Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola) is a song bird breeding in fen mires and similarly structured other wetlands with a water depth of 1-10 cm. Widespread in central-European wetlands at t..[more]..
Source: Biodivers Conserv, 2008
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article number 9 Title
The aquatic warbler - saving Europe's most threatened song bird Reed cutters and conservationists team up in Polish peatlands
Author(s): Cosima Tegetmeyer et al
Abstract: no abstract..[more]..
Source: Peatlands International 2007 (1): 19-23
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