THE GREAT REED-WARBLER. 

 Acrocepkalus turdoides (Meyer). 

 Plate 8. 



This Warbler, although nesting yearly in the neighbourhood of Calais, and 

 common in Belgium, Holland, and many other parts of Europe, south of the Baltic, 

 is a rare visitor to England. The first example was shot by Mr. Thomas Robson, 

 near Newcastle, in May 1847, and about nine others have since been recorded. 

 In autumn the Great Reed-Warbler migrates to its winter quarters in Africa. 



The favourite haunts of this bird are the beds of tall reeds, among the stems 

 of which its deep cup-shaped nest, composed of reed-tops and grasses, is woven. 

 The four to five eggs are pale blue with a greenish tinge, marked with ashy-grey 

 and dark olive-brown. 



Lord Lilford writes {Birds of Northamptonshire and Neighbourhood, vol. i. 

 pp. 117-118): "The Reed-Thrush is not a bird likely to escape observation, 

 from his incessant, chattering song, which resembles that of our common Reed- 

 Warbler {Acrocephalus streperus\ but is much more powerful, and is varied with 

 occasional croaking notes like those of the edible frog, which reptile is often found 

 in great abundance in the haunts of this species. I believe that these birds are 

 never found far from the reed-beds which are their favourite resorts, and amongst 

 which it is often very difficult to obtain more than a casual glimpse of the bird as 

 it flits chattering from one perch to another. In the early morning they come to 

 the tops of the reeds to sing, and no one who has not visited a well-frequented 

 haunt of this species would believe what a confused din can be produced by a dozen 

 or so of Reed-Thrushes, in concert with a sprinkling of the amphibious vocalists 

 above mentioned." 



The food of the Great Reed- Warbler consists of insects, sometimes in autumn 

 varied with berries. 



The sexes do not differ in colour. 



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