Scientific name: Acrocephalus melanopogon (Temminck, 1823)
Bird group: Warblers
Field characters. 12.5 cm. Resembles Sedge Warbler. Differs in almost black crown, white, not cream, supercilium, dark cheeks, rufous upperparts with long black stripes, rufous rump, white throat and belly, and rufous flanks. Wings shorter and more rounded than in Sedge Warbler. Song performed from high song post, like top of reed stem, as Sedge warbler. Otherwise rather shy and more skulking.
Voice. Calls 'ckuck', 'trrt'. Song like Sedge Warbler, though mellower. Very characteristic is a Woodlark-like 'lululululu'.
Distribution. Locally common summer visitor, but sometimes also present in winter.
Habitat. Marshes and shallow lakes with abundant vegetation, preferably not uniform reed beds; in wetter areas than Sedge Warbler.
Food. Insects, caught in vegetation or air, but also hops around on floating vegetation, hunting for flies, midges, etc.