Distinctive but often rather skulking little bird of fresh and brackish marshes and lakes with dense rushes and other reedy vegetation. Forages in rushes and along the shoreline at muddy edges; often seen making short flights low across openings in rushes, when its broad rusty wingstripe helps with identification. Also note the broad whitish eyebrow and boldly striped upperparts. Often detected by incessant “song”—a steady hard ticking sound like two pebbles being knocked together.