Brown-cheeked Rail

Overview

The brown-cheeked rail, also known as the eastern water rail (Rallus indicus), is a migratory bird in the family Rallidae. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the water rail but is now generally recognised as a distinct species.

Identification

• Measures 23–29 cm in length and weighs between 75–190 g.
• Features paler upperparts, brown-tinged underparts, and a distinctive brown stripe through the eye.
• Has white on the throat and a browner breast compared to related forms.
• Vocalisations include a sharp piping courtship call and a song of metallic slurred shrink notes that differ significantly from the western water rail.

Habitat

Breeds in northern Mongolia, eastern Siberia, northeast China, Korea, and northern Japan, while wintering in southeast Asia. It is uncommon in northern parts of Bangladesh, Burma, Laos, and northern and central Thailand, with occasional records in India and Sri Lanka.

Diet

Primarily feeds on worms, small insects, and molluscs, supplemented by seeds.

Did you know?

Migrants arriving in India can be so exhausted from their journeys that they are capable of being caught by hand.