Acrocephalus schoenobaenus -- (Linnaeus, 1758) ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- PASSERIFORMES -- SYLVIIDAE Common names: Sedge Warbler; Phragmite des joncs European Red List Assessment European Red List Status LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1) Assessment Information Year published: 2015 Date assessed: 2015-03-31 Assessor(s): BirdLife International Reviewer(s): Symes, A. Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L. Assessment Rationale European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC) EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

At both European and EU27 scales this species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations).

For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern within both and the EU27. Occurrence Countries/Territories of Occurrence Native: Albania; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; ; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; ; ; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland, Rep. of; ; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; ; Moldova; Montenegro; ; Norway; ; ; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; ; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; Vagrant: Faroe Islands (to DK); Iceland; Liechtenstein; Gibraltar (to UK) Population The European population is estimated at 3,830,000-6,440,000 pairs, which equates to 7,650,000-12,900,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 1,680,000-2,680,000 pairs, which equates to 3,360,000-5,360,000 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Trend In Europe and the EU27 the population size is estimated to be stable. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF. Habitats and Ecology During the breeding season this species is found in a variety of low dense vegetation, often near water or in moist depressions, including shore vegetation around freshwater pools, along rivers and canals, and lowland swamps and marshes with reed and bush thickets. It can also breed in dry situations offering suitable cover, such as neglected orchards, hedgerows, nettlebeds, dense scrub, crop fields. In western Europe -laying occurs mainly from the end of April, from early May in central Europe and from mid-May in Finland. Clutches are from four to seven and are laid in a rather deep cup with a loosely woven outer structure of grass, plant stems and leaves, moss and sedges, often with spider webs and a thick inner layer of finer leaves and stems, lined with reed flowers, hair and plant down. It is generally placed low over marshy ground (rarely above water) among grasses and tall weeds or in low bush. The diet is mainly insects and their larvae but it also takes spiders (Araneae), harvestmen (Opiliones), small slugs and snails. The species is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan (Dyrcz 2006). Habitats & Altitude Habitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence Artificial/Aquatic - Water Storage Areas (over ha) suitable breeding Artificial/Terrestrial - Arable Land suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over ha) suitable breeding Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) suitable breeding Altitude Occasional altitudinal limits Threats Declines in this species in Europe have been attributed to severe droughts in the west African wintering quarters (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997, Dyrcz 2006). Threats & Impacts Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses Climate change & Droughts Timing Scope Severity Impact severe weather Past, Likely to Minority (<50%) Causing/Could Past Impact Return cause fluctuations Stresses Ecosystem conversion; Ecosystem degradation Conservation Conservation Actions Underway CMS Appendix II. Bern Convention Appendix II. There are currently no known conservation measures for this species.

Conservation Actions Proposed Important areas of habitat should be protected and maintained for this species in order to help mitigate declines from natural causes. Bibliography Dyrcz, A. 2006. Sedge Warbler ( schoenobaenus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. and de Juana, E. (eds.) 2014. Handbook of the of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/58794 on 25 March 2015). Hagemeijer, W.J.M. and Blair, M.J. (1997) The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: Their Distribution and Abundance. T & A D Poyser, London. Map (see overleaf)