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Water Rail

Rallus aquaticus

Least Concern (IUCN Red List)Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
Water Rail, photographed by Mosharraf Hossain

Photo: Mosharraf Hossain · Unsplash · Unsplash License (licence)

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Call and song

About the Water Rail

Shy but generally not uncommon, this reclusive marsh bird is more often heard than seen; listen for its varied piglike squeals and grunts coming from dense vegetation. Favors fresh marshes and ponds with taller vegetation, especially reeds and rushes; in winter and freezing weather, sometimes in tidal marshes. Most often seen at muddy edges, walking stealthily; can move very quickly. About half the size of a moorhen. Note long, mostly red bill (unlike short, chickenlike bill of crakes), and barred flanks. Replaced in much of Asia by the Brown-cheeked Rail, with which it has minor overlap; very similar, but lacks the strong eye stripe of that species, has a darker throat and grayer breast and belly.

Species account: eBird.org, fetched 2025-12-26 · How these pages are made

Where it has been recorded

Recorded in 84 of the 253 countries we have eBird lists for. Each opens that country's checklist.

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