General

Virginia Rail: Medium-sized rail with brown-and-black mottled upperparts, white throat, rust-brown breast, and black-and-white barred belly. Head has black crown, gray face, and white eyebrows. Bill is long, red-brown, and curved down. Legs are orange-brown. Tail is short, black above, and white below. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is darker.

Range and Habitat

Virginia Rail: Breeds locally from southern British Columbia to Newfoundland, and south to northwestern Baja California, southern Arizona, west-central Texas, Missouri, Ohio, North Carolina, central Mexico, and South America. Spends winters from southern British Columbia to northern Baja California, and north to the Gulf Coast and North Carolina. Preferred habitats include freshwater marshes, mostly with cattails, reeds, and deep grass.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"kid-ick, kid-ick, kid-ick", "tic-tic-tic"

Interesting Facts

 Like other rails, the Virginia Rail prefers to escape danger by running through marsh vegetation rather than flying. If forced to fly in order to escape it will only fly a short distance. Regardless of its apparent weak flight, it migrates long distances each year.

 Because they are reclusive birds and quick runners, Virginia Rails are rarely seen and many of their characteristics and behaviors have not been documented.

 A group of Virginia Rails are collectively known as a "reel" of rails.

Author

Gary Owen Dick

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