Aquatic warbler  (Acrocephalus paludicola)

For a healthy population, this species requires vast areas of wetland habitat. This is due to the large home ranges that males of this species occupy during the breeding season in order to gain access to several females. Such habitat is increasingly under threat from modern agricultural practices and is often drained for commercial use. Other threats may occur on the wintering grounds. The human population increase in West Africa is putting pressure on the habitat needed by this species such as over-grazing, over-exploitation of water resources and desertification (3).

The aquatic warbler is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan species, and a number of known key passage sites have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) (5). Key sites are being managed by organisations such as the RSPB in order to maintain suitable habitat of sufficient size to support migration. A further priority is to more accurately assess the number of birds passing through Britain and their ecological requirements so that the correct habitat can be identified as being in need of protection (3).