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Water Rail

Rallus aquaticus

Not yet photographed by the community

Secretive reedbed bird; pig-like squeal heard more than seen.

Species Profile

Amber List (due to population fluctuations and winter vulnerability)

Lifespan: 5–10 years in the wild
Size & Weight: 23–29 cm, wingspan 38–45 cm; 70–170 g
Habitat: Freshwater wetlands including reed beds, marshes, ditches, and overgrown ponds with dense emergent vegetation and shallow water.
UK Distribution: Found throughout the UK, though more abundant in southern and central regions. Resident year-round with numbers supplemented by continental migrants in winter.
Diet: Omnivorous; feeds on small fish, aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, small mammals, bird eggs, and chicks, supplemented with aquatic plants and seeds.
Prey: Small fish, tadpoles, aquatic insects, freshwater snails, newts, voles, and other birds' eggs and chicks
Predators: Foxes, stoats, weasels, pike, herons, and occasionally sparrowhawks and buzzards
Mating Season: March to September
Breeding: Clutch size 6–11 eggs; incubation period 19–20 days; typically 1–2 broods per year; chicks fledge at 7–8 weeks
Behaviour: Secretive and elusive, skulking through dense vegetation and rarely flying in the open. Highly territorial and vocal, producing loud clicking and grunting calls, particularly at dawn and dusk. Solitary or in pairs except during winter when small flocks may gather.

Did You Know?

•Water Rails have long slender toes that allow them to walk on floating vegetation without sinking
•They are one of the few UK birds that can fly despite their apparently ungainly shape; they migrate substantial distances
•During harsh winters, Water Rails may visit gardens with ponds and ditches, becoming briefly more visible
•Their loud, pig-like squealing calls are one of the characteristic sounds of UK reed beds and marshes
•Young chicks fledge in just 7–8 weeks, among the fastest development rates for UK rails

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