REGULAR FEATURES
Reed-Warblers are
reasonably common birds on Bribie Island living mainly in reeds at the edge of waterways. They are small Old-World Warblers (sometimes referred to as true warblers) around 17 cm in length and weighing only 12-23 g. They are slim passerines with olive-brown backs, creamy underparts, tawny rumps and are not streaked like Grassbirds or Cisticolas. Inside their mouths is yellow and obvious when warbling amongst the reeds. Small spiky crests on their heads are sometimes visible. They are hard to spot as they tend to remain mostly hidden but their loud tuneful call resembling that of the Brown Honeyeater will betray their presence if they are about. When perched or moving about they cling to the reed stems. Both males and females are similar in appearance. They are likely to be found throughout most of Australia where there are reed beds in fresh or brackish waters. Sometimes they appear in clumps of lantana and bamboo. Some populations seem to be sedentary but mostly they are migratory, moving for fresh food or south in the summer to breed. More is yet to be learnt about their migratory habits, particularly of those in the north. Australian ReedWarblers are also residents of PNG and islands across the Indian Ocean to South Africa.
By: Marj Webber
Australian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus Australis
Food is obtained mostly from the ground amongst the reeds and consists mainly of insects, but sometimes seeds and molluscs are added to the menu. Usually, they forage singly but sometimes form pairs. Breeding takes place usually from September to February. Males arrive early to the site to establish their territory. During the courtship, males are extra noisy and warble to impress the females. They build flimsy nests which are believed to be part of the mate selection process. Reed-Warblers are monogamous for one season and probably select a new mate the following year. Well hidden, cup-shaped nests of grass and reeds are built by both parents 1 m or less above the water supported by 3-4 reed stems and attached cleverly with fibres tied around reed stems. Nests are deep and narrow towards the opening at the top, so eggs and babies don’t fall out during strong winds. 3-4 spotted bluish-brown blotched eggs are laid and incubated by the female for 14-15 days. Both parents feed the young birds. After 14-16 days the young leave the nests but continue to be fed by the parents till around 28 days. 44
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The Bribie Islander
The scientific name Acrocephalus meaning “Topmost Head” in Greek refers to their short spiky crest. Australis in Latin means “Southern”. Australian Reed-Warblers have only about 58% nesting success when breeding. Some of their threats are from predators when nesting and burning and human interference of their habitat. Their conservation status is listed as least concern.
