Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range and the population size is extremely large, hence does not approach threatened thresholds for the range or population size criteria. The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion. For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
In Europe, the total population size is estimated at 11,700,000-17,000,000 mature individuals, with 5,850,000-8,490,000 breeding pairs (BirdLife International 2021), and comprises approximately 95% of the species' global range, so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is between 12,300,000-17,900,000 mature individuals, although further validation of this estimate is desirable. Europe holds most of the species' global range, but national population trends vary significantly and no trend data are available from Russia (BirdLife International 2021). Consequently, the overall population trend is unknown.
Trend justification
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This species favours rank, tufty and fairly tall herbage, especially nettles (Urtica), meadowsweet (Filipendula), brambles (Rubus fruticosus) and others, often in the vicinity of taller bushes or trees. It also occurs in corn fields and other agricultural land surrounded with a belt of low bushes or hedgerows as well as in wasteland with tall grass, herbs and small bushes, in tall herbaceous vegetation along ditches, in marsh vegetation at edges of swamps, in reeds on dry ground and even in gardens. In western and central Europe, breeding occurs from the second half of May to July. It lays three to six eggs in a nest which is a deep, cylindrical cup of leaves and stems of nettles, grass and other plants, lined with finer plant fibres, plant down and hair. The structure is supported on two to five plant stems, usually 30–70 cm high (Dyrcz 2006). It feeds mainly on insects and arachnids, with some snails and occasionally berries in late summer and autumn (Snow and Perrins 1998). The species is migratory, wintering in south-east Africa (Dyrcz 2006).
In the U.K., declines during the 1950s and 1960s may have been due to climate change and habitat loss as a result of activities such as bank tidying (Batten et al. 1989). The species is likely affected by climate change (Both et al. 2010).
Conservation Actions Underway
CMS Appendix II. Bern Convention Appendix II. There are currently no known conservation measures for this species.
Conservation Actions Proposed
Sites should be protected and managed and in Britain the control of birdwatchers to reduce disturbance may be necessary (Batten et al. 1989).
Text account compilers
Rutherford, C.A., Martin, R.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/marsh-warbler-acrocephalus-palustris on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.