From Opus

Includes Ecuadorian Rail

Rallus limicola

Photo by mcdomik
Location: Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, Wisconsin, USA

[edit] Identification

• Rufous breast
• Long, slightly decurved bill
• Red bill and legs
• Grey face
• Black and white barring on flanks
• Brown streaking on back
  
  

[edit] Similar Species

Similar to King Rail, but king rail is much larger, with light brownish bill and legs, less grey in face.

[edit] Distribution

Nova Scotia to California and North Carolina; southwestern Colombia to western Peru; southern Chile and Argentina.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies¹

• R. l. limicola - S Canada and US; winters to Baja and Guatemala
• R. l. friedmanni - SE Mexico (Puebla, México, Veracruz and Chiapas)
• R. l. aequatorialis - "Ecuadorian Rail"; Locally in mountains of sw Colombia, Ecuador and Peru

[edit] Habitat

Shallow freshwater marshes with emergent vegetation.

[edit] Behaviour

These birds probe with their bill in mud or shallow water, also picking up food by sight. The diet includes insects and aquatic animals.

They build a platform nest from cattails and other plants in a dry location in the marsh. 5 to 13 eggs are laid. Both parents care for the young.

[edit] References

1. 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

[edit] External Links