The greater swamp warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the family Acrocephalidae. It is found in the African countries of Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitat is swamps.
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs widely across wetlands in West, Central, East, and parts of Southern Africa, wherever extensive marshes, swamps, or floodplains persist. It favors dense stands of papyrus, Phragmites reeds, bulrushes, and tall sedges along lake margins and slow-flowing rivers. Also inhabits seasonally flooded grasslands and oxbow lagoons with emergent vegetation. Breeding typically takes place in the thickest cover above shallow water to deter predators.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A skulking reedbed specialist, the greater swamp warbler often sings loudly from exposed reed tops despite spending much of its time hidden in dense vegetation. Its nest is typically a deep, woven cup suspended between stems over water. It makes short, low flights across channels and uses its long bill to probe for prey among reeds and papyrus. Pairs defend territories, especially during the breeding season.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low over vegetation
Social Behavior
Typically found singly or in pairs within dense marshes, where they maintain and defend territories. The nest is a deep cup woven to vertical stems over water, with both sexes involved in nesting duties. Breeding coincides with periods of high water when cover is densest.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A loud, harsh, and varied series of chattering notes, squeaks, and rasping phrases delivered from prominent reed perches. Calls include sharp chips and scolds when alarmed, with sustained song bouts at dawn and dusk.
