Marsh Warblers in Bulgaria.
24th July 2019
One morning we travelled with Dimiter our Bulgarian bird guide to a location he knew where Marsh Warblers were sometimes seen. These birds are very difficult to see in the UK, they do not breed here anymore and are confined to a few small locations around the country. Using id only they can be very difficult to separate from Reed Warblers. In non - worn plumage they have a pale eye ring and in addition are slightly more olive above, a little whiter below and have paler legs than the Reed Warbler. However, the best way to separate these two species is by song. The Marsh Warbler’s song is almost totally based on mimicry and it is a world away from the song of the Reed Warbler. It is estimated that their song mimics around seventy five other bird songs.
Below is a recording of a Marsh Warblers song from Xeno Canto - please press play after clicking the link.
https://www.xeno-canto.org/486919
Another way to separate them from Reed Warblers is that they avoid reed beds.
When we arrived at the location the plant growth was up to six feet high with a few breaks in between which were around five feet. We were, therefore, stood up to our chests in vegetation, thankfully none of which was irritating or stinging. The Marsh Warblers were in full song and you could immediately tell the difference from a Reed Warbler’s song. We waited for some time, getting only quick flashes of the birds as they zipped around the foliage. Then I picked out a bird low down on a bare plant stem and slowly it inched its way up to the top giving great and prolonged views as it delivered its song. Well worth the wait to see and photograph this difficult to see little bird.
Below is a recording of a Marsh Warblers song from Xeno Canto - please press play after clicking the link.
https://www.xeno-canto.org/486919
Another way to separate them from Reed Warblers is that they avoid reed beds.
When we arrived at the location the plant growth was up to six feet high with a few breaks in between which were around five feet. We were, therefore, stood up to our chests in vegetation, thankfully none of which was irritating or stinging. The Marsh Warblers were in full song and you could immediately tell the difference from a Reed Warbler’s song. We waited for some time, getting only quick flashes of the birds as they zipped around the foliage. Then I picked out a bird low down on a bare plant stem and slowly it inched its way up to the top giving great and prolonged views as it delivered its song. Well worth the wait to see and photograph this difficult to see little bird.