It breeds from Egypt eastwards through Pakistan, Afghanistan and northernmost India to south China and southeast Asia.

It is very like the great reed warbler, but that species has richer coloured underparts.

The migratory northern race has the richest brown upperparts, and the endemic Sri Lanka subspecies is the darkest form.

It is a slow, chattering kereet-kereet-kereet with typically acrocephaline whistles and mimicry added.

This passerine bird is a species found in large reed beds, often with some bushes.