Brown Wood Rail

Overview

The brown wood rail (Aramides wolfi) is a monotypic species of bird in the family Rallidae. It is a patchily distributed rail found in western Colombia and western Ecuador, ranging in elevation from sea level to 900 m.

Identification

• Size 33–36 cm (13–14 in); one male recorded at 454 g (16.0 oz).
• Ashy-gray head with a distinct yellow spot on the forehead and a pale throat.
• Yellow-green bill, red eye, and pink legs and feet.
• Body plumage is chestnut to warm brown with black tail, flanks, and belly; sexes are alike.
• Call described as a repeated "kui-co-mui".

Habitat

Inhabits wet and dry landscapes in western Colombia and western Ecuador, including mangroves, freshwater marsh, swampy woodland, river bottoms, and mature and secondary forest. Elevation range is 0–900 m (0–3,000 ft). A 1977 report from Peru was retracted in 2011 and is not recognised.

Did you know?

The species name wolfi commemorates the German naturalist Theodor Wolf. Its IUCN status was downlisted from Vulnerable to Least Concern in 2025 despite ongoing habitat loss from mangrove destruction for agriculture.