Scientific name: Acrocephalus agricola (Jerdon, 1845)
Bird group: Warblers
Field characters. 13 cm. Has a relatively long and rounded tail, short bill and short and rounded wings. Stronger patterned plumage than Reed Warbler, Marsh Warbler and Blyth's Reed Warbler. Colour of upperparts varies from olive to rufous-brown, darker than Reed Warbler, usually with contrasting grey nape and rusty rump and uppertail coverts. Supercilium long and broad, especially behind eye, contrasts with darker border above. Underparts pale, sandy-buff, with strong rusty-buff flanks; throat white with wedge to neck sides. Bill dark with horn-coloured base to lower mandible. Rufous rump separates Paddyfield from Booted Warbler or Blyth's Reed Warbler. Characteristically raises and flicks tail.
Voice. Call a clicking "chuck". Song similar to Marsh Warbler but softer and lacks tempo changes and long trills; also lacks harsh notes of Reed Warbler; includes mimicry.
Distribution. Western and northern fringe of Black Sea, east into Asia.
Habitat. Usually in drier patches of reed with bushes and herbs on landward side of lakes and rivers.
Food. Insects taken from vegetation or water surface.