THE REED WARBLER 



ACROCEPPIALUS ARUNDINACEUS 



LOCAL names in surrounding counties : " Reedchat " 

 (Essex). 



STATUS IN BRITISH AVIFAUNA : Common yet local 

 summer visitor to England, most abundant in the south, 

 and rarest in the north and west. 



RADIAL DISTRIBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 

 PAUL'S : Although the Reed Warbler is seen occasionally 

 even so close to the city as Battersea Park, I know of no 

 summer haunt of this species nearer than Richmond. 

 There are certain breeding-places in the valleys of the 

 Thames and the Colne within the Metropolitan area, but 

 the Reed Warbler does not become in any way common 

 until we get a score or so of miles from the city. The 

 bird is found in summer at Virginia Water, Betchworth, 

 Cobham, and other places, but everywhere it is a local 

 one, and one also that may be very easily overlooked. 

 It is difficult to explain the bird's absence from many 

 spots that appear to be ideal summer haunts, and in the 

 north-east and south-east especially the species is un- 

 common. Wliere found this Warbler is usually abun- 

 dant, numbers of pairs living in the same bed of reeds 

 or belt of osiers. 



That the Reed Warbler is somewhat capricious in the 

 choice of a haunt or seeks localities where some special 

 food is abundant seems proved by the fact that it frequents 

 many unlikely districts, and continues to visit them after 

 they have undergone considerable change. I know of 

 haunts of this Warbler that have been considerably 

 curtailed by drainage and building operations still con- 

 tinuing to be frequented, and even after most of their 

 privacy has been destroyed. On the other hand, I can 

 call to mind many more, ideal in every way so far as can 



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