- Rallus aquaticus
Identification
Upperparts olive-brown with broad, black streaks, broad bars on underparts, and greyish supercillium.
Distribution
Breeds throughout Palearctic; winters to south-east Asia, India and Borneo.
Taxonomy
Subspecies1
- R. a. hibernans - Iceland
- R. a. aquaticus - Western Palearctic
- R. a. korejewi - Iran to north-western China; winters to India and southern China
- R. a. indicus - Eastern Siberia to Japan; winters to south-eastern Asia and Borneo
Habitat
Reed-beds, marshes, etc.
Behaviour
A skulker, this bird is much more often located by its piglet-like squeals. Food includes both invertebrates and plant materials like seeds.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Rallus aquaticus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2008. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Water Rail. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Water_Rail
External Links
