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Water Rail
(Rallus aquaticus)
 German name(s): "Wasserralle"
Size: 23-28 cm; wing span 38-45 cm
Weight: 114-164 g (male); 92-107 (female)
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Similar
species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Water Rails are medium-sized wetland birds. They have highly
cryptic
plumage.
The upperparts, from crown via hindneck and back to uppertail,
including the wing coverts, are brown, with black feather
centres.
The sides of the head and the front, from chin to belly,
are bluish-grey. The lower belly and vent area are buff,
while the undertail is white.
The flanks are barred blank-and-white, fusing into black-and-buff
towards the rear.
The irises are orange-brown.
Their long, red, slightly down-curved bill, with a slightly darker
upper mandible than the lower one, makes Water Rails unmistakable
in Europe.
Legs and feet are yellowish-grey.
While the upperparts and flanks of
juveniles
resemble those of
adults,
the sides of the head and the front are pale and on the sides
lightly barred. The bill is brownish-grey.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Water
Rail at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Water Rail is available
HERE
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Water Rails are a partly sedentary, partly migratory species
with 3 generally accepted races.
Their general distribution ranges from Iceland, via temperate
Eurasia to northern Africa, the Levant, parts of Arabia and
the Indian subcontinent.
Nominate race
"aquaticus"
breeds in Europe, northern Africa, Asia Minor, western Asia to the
Caspian Sea and western Kazakhstan, and in a narrow band eastward to
central Siberia.
Race "korejewi" breeds in southern central Asia from southern and
eastern Iran eastward to eastern China and on the Indian subcontinent
in Kashmir and Ladakh.
Race "hibernans" is restricted to Iceland.
In Europe Water Rails of nominate race
"aquaticus"
are sedentary primarily in Iberia
and around much of the northern Mediterraean coastline,
including the Mediterranean islands, and in western and
parts of central Europe (western France, the Benelux
countries, Germany, southern Denmark).
They are also sedentary in Britain and Ireland.
Elsewhere, they are breeding migrants to southern central,
south-eastern and eastern Europe, up to a latitude of ca.
60 degrees (hence including southern Scandinavia), with
the exception of the high mountain ranges and the eastern
Adriatic coastal fringe.
In southern Portugal they mostly overwinter.
Water Rails have a preference for well-vegetated
wetlands with tall reeds for both breeding and overwintering.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "aquaticus"
J. Pires reports spotting a
Water Rail, nominate race
"aquaticus",
near Mora, Evora, Portugal,
in October 2019. Another was recorded in July 2020.
All sighting, photographic and audio information presented on this page
has kindly been contributed by J. Pires.
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Photos |
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Race "aquaticus"
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ADULT |
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Distant lateral view of a Water Rail
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2019]
Distant lateral view of a Water Rail coming out of reeds
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2019]
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Call(s)/Song |
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For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own; are welcome.
More Water Rail sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
are welcome.