Birds of Britain 

 THE MARSH WARBLER 



Acrocephalus palustris (Bechstein) 



This species resembles the preceding one so closely that 

 even when examined in the hand, they are hard to distinguish. 

 The general hue is, however, more greenish and less rufous 

 than the Seed Warbler, and the legs are lighter in colour, 

 being brownish flesh instead of yellowish brown. Alike as 

 they are in appearance, their life history is very different. 

 The Marsh Warbler is by no means confined to reeds, but 

 may be found in osier beds, cornfields or coppices, being 

 content, like the Sedge Warbler, with a very small extent of 

 water. It sings its song, which is much sweeter and more 

 melodious than that of the Eeed Warbler, from the topmost 

 sprays of its home, and the nests are never suspended in 

 reeds but placed low down in some osier or small bush. 

 The eggs are pale greenish white, blotched and marked with 

 dark green, and are so characteristic that they cannot well be 

 mistaken for those of any other species. It has a wide range 

 in Europe, becoming scarcer towards the west, but in this 

 country it is very local, arid restricted as a breeding species 

 to a few places in the south. 



Very difficult to distinguish from the Eeed Warbler, but 

 the general hue is much greener, and the difference in 

 the colour of the legs has already been noticed. Length 

 5 - 25 in. ; wing 2 - 7 in. 



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