Water Rail

Overview

The water rail (Rallus aquaticus) is a medium-sized bird of the rail family that breeds in well-vegetated wetlands across Europe, Asia and North Africa. Northern and eastern populations are migratory, while the species remains a permanent resident in the warmer parts of its breeding range.

Identification

• 23–28 cm in length with a laterally flattened body that allows easy passage through reed beds.
• Olive-brown upperparts with black streaks, and dark slate-blue underparts (buff in juveniles) featuring black-and-white barred flanks.
• A long, reddish, down-curved bill and a short white undertail.
• Main call is a series of grunts followed by a high-pitched, pig-like squeal.

Habitat

Breeds in permanent wetlands with still or slow-moving fresh or brackish water and dense, tall vegetation such as reed beds, reedmace or sedges. Its range extends across temperate Eurasia from Iceland and Ireland to North Africa, Saudi Arabia and western China. On migration and in winter, it may utilise a wider range of wet habitats, including flooded thickets, bracken, ditches and rubbish dumps.

Diet

Omnivorous, feeding mainly on invertebrates during summer and shifting to berries or plant stems towards winter. It is territorial even outside the breeding season, aggressively defending feeding areas in winter.

Did you know?

Water rails are capable of long, sustained nocturnal flights despite their seemingly weak daytime flight, and some are killed in collisions with lighthouses or wires. Researchers have also found that playing reed warbler calls at night can cause water rails to ground themselves in unsuitable habitats because they recognise the song as a signal for marshy environments.