Acrocephalus palustris
Silhouette: Yves Hoebeke · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
The marsh warbler (Acrocephalus palustris) is an Old World warbler currently classified in the family Acrocephalidae. It breeds in temperate Europe and the western Palearctic and winters mainly in southeast Africa. It is notable for incorporating striking imitations of a wide variety of other birds into its song.
The marsh warbler breeds in a variety of mostly damp habitats, but in Africa winters mainly in dry, well-vegetated areas. It is common over much of its breeding range and expanding its distribution in some areas. However, in Britain it is now virtually extinct as a breeding bird, though the reasons for its decline are unclear. This insectivorous warbler can be easily confused with several close relatives, but the imitative song of the male is highly distinctive.
The marsh warbler was formally described in 1798 by the German naturalist Johann Matthäus Bechstein under the scientific name Motacilla s. Sylvia palustris. The type locality is Germany. The marsh warbler is now one of around 40 species placed in the genus Acrocephalus that was introduced by Johann Andreas Naumann and his son Johann Friedrich Naumann in 1811. The genus name Acrocephalus is from Ancient... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 2 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 3 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 4 | Biebrza National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 5 | Ecrins National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 6 | Gauja National Park | 🇱🇻 Latvia | |
| 7 | Vanoise National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 8 | Kiskunság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 9 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 10 | Hortobágy National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 11 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 12 | uMkhuze Game Reserve | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 13 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 14 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 15 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 16 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Marsh Warbler sighting in Białowieża National Park on a given day, based on 123 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 91st most-seen of the 182 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Marsh Warbler in Białowieża National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February–April and September–November, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Marsh Warbler sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 16
Of the 16 parks where we can rate Marsh Warbler sightings, Białowieża National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Fertő-Hanság National Park (Hungary, about 20%) and Tsavo West National Park (Kenya, about 10%).
Same genus: Acrocephalus
The closest relatives of the Marsh Warbler that you can see in Białowieża National Park (genus Acrocephalus, Reed Warblers) are Sedge Warbler (about 40%), Great Reed-Warbler (about 30%) and Eurasian Reed-Warbler (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Marsh Warbler is recorded against all the birds logged in Białowieża National Park (123 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
