[matt green]

I know it's a daft question, but late this afternoon I was quite pleased to hear one for the first time on my local patch.I've always thought of the squealing cry of these birds as a statement of aggression or defense?
Maybe it's to contact, or establish the presence of fellow water-rails?

Although the habitat on this particular site is of limited value to many wetland birds (it's no minsmere!), there are areas of wet boggy scrub and shallow dikes with phragmites reed cover where maybe one or two rails could spend a reasonably comfortable winter.

The pics below are from the area where I heard the calling coming from.

Matt

[pipixcan]

Maybe they just keep sitting on sharp sticking up bits of reed?!

[Chris Oates]

Originally Posted by matt green

I know it's a daft question, but late this afternoon I was quite pleased to hear one for the first time on my local patch.I've always thought of the squealing cry of these birds as a statement of aggression or defense?
Matt

Not a clue - at Marazion (Cornwall) I've heard lots of squealing but never seen the birds.
At Swanpool (Falmouth) I've seen many birds but never heard a squeal.

The Falmouth birds are not secretive at all and will come out to the feeding areas, they are often overlooked as they scuttle about with Moorhens.

[dantheman]

Originally Posted by Chris Oates

Not a clue - at Marazion (Cornwall) I've heard lots of squealing but never seen the birds.
At Swanpool (Falmouth) I've seen many birds but never heard a squeal.

Aaah, probably if we did mitochondrial dna testing we'd find we had two different species on our hands. . .

. . . and its not squealing, it's singing!!!!

[matt green]

Originally Posted by dantheman

Aaah, probably if we did mitochondrial dna testing we'd find we had two different species on our hands. . .

. . . and its not squealing, it's singing!!!!

Cheers LOL

I was really trying to find out what the chances are that there is more than one bird present.Is it safe to assume that these birds are more vocal when in
high density populations than perhaps singles and one offs wintering on rather
limited mixed farmland/wet meadow type habitat?

Probably impossible to say, also hadn't accounted for a water rails own personal degree of wishfull thinking - calling to absent friends??

Matt

[JRE]

Their less well known call is a 'clinking' contact call, so presumably the squealing is territorial?

[Gill Osborne]

Originally Posted by pipixcan

Maybe they just keep sitting on sharp sticking up bits of reed?!

[Xenospiza]

From "De Waterral" by GHJ de Kroon, who described no less than eight types of call (translated):
The squealing: "It is a kind of contact call, because visual communication is hampered by dense and high vegetation. It also acts as a kind of marking of the territory, especially in the mating season and when going to roost. It can keep a fellow rail at distance. (...) The call of the female sounds higher and faster."
The clinking is meant to attract females in spring, and to "assess each others presence and mood" in autumn, so Jyothi was on the right track!

[matt green]

Originally Posted by Xenospiza

From "De Waterral" by GHJ de Kroon, who described no less than eight types of call (translated):
The squealing: "It is a kind of contact call, because visual communication is hampered by dense and high vegetation. It also acts as a kind of marking of the territory, especially in the mating season and when going to roost. It can keep a fellow rail at distance. (...) The call of the female sounds higher and faster."
The clinking is meant to attract females in spring, and to "assess each others presence and mood" in autumn, so Jyothi was on the right track!

Excellent, just what I was hoping for

Matt