Acrocephalus palustris
Silhouette: Yves Hoebeke · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
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 |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Marsh Warbler sighting in Tsavo East National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 309th most-seen of the 345 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Marsh Warbler in Tsavo East National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January to November, the lowest months. That is one of Tsavo East National Park's wettest months, with about 95 mm of rain against 10 mm in July.
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.
13th of 16
Of the 16 parks where we can rate Marsh Warbler sightings, Tsavo East National Park ranks 13th at under 5%. The best odds are in Fertő-Hanság National Park (Hungary, about 20%), Tsavo West National Park (Kenya, about 10%) and Białowieża National Park (Poland, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Marsh Warbler is recorded against all the birds logged in Tsavo East National Park (7 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.
