Warblers at Wicken

Reed Warbler

This tiny warbler with its brown back & lighter buff underside arrives in mid-April.

It builds tiny nests between 4 or 5 reed stems along the banks of the lodes, ditches or in the reedbeds.

At Wicken Fen, reed warblers’ nests can be parasitised by female cuckoos, who remove a warbler’s egg and lay one of their own, leaving the warblers to rear the chick when it hatches.  Why the warblers rear a chick that is so much bigger than themselves is one of the mysteries of nature.

Sedge Warbler

A small plump warbler, with a distinctive creamy strip above its eye.

It can be found amongst the tall grasses and reedbeds at Wicken Fen, and can also be seen performing a parachute-like display in flight.

The sedge warbler’s song is varied and rambling with less repetition than the reed warbler.

Cetti's Warbler

A dark, stocky bird with a rounded tail.  They are often difficult to see as they like to find cover in damp areas, so Wicken Fen’s wetland habitats are ideal.  Their song is easily identifiable by its short bursts of 6 or more loud notes. Cetti’s warblers are resident on the fen year round.

Chiff Chaff

A small olive brown warbler, weighing around eight grams.

The chiff chaff gets its name from its distinctive 'chiff chaff'' call.

The birds can be seen year round but most arrive in the spring.

Grasshopper Warbler

You’re more likely to hear rather than see this warbler as it has a very distinctive and unusual song. The sound is just like a grasshopper or the reel of a fishing rod and is quite high pitched.  It can be difficult to hear as our hearing declines with age.  The species has suffered a serious decline in recent years and is now classified as a Red List species.