Virginia Rail

The Virginia rail, a member of the Rallidae family, is a small waterbird with a notably high leg-muscle to flight-muscle ratio, the former constituting 25% of its body weight. This bird exhibits a brown plumage, darker on the back and crown, with orange-brown legs that facilitate movement through dense vegetation. Its body is laterally compressed, and it possesses strong forehead feathers to endure the wear of pushing through marsh foliage. The Virginia rail is equipped with long toes for traversing floating vegetation, a short tail, and a long, slim reddish bill. Grey cheeks, a light eye stripe, and a whitish throat characterize its face, while juveniles display a blackish-brown upperpart with rufous feather edges and a greyish-brown face.

Identification Tips

Adult Virginia rails measure between 20–27 cm in length, with a wingspan of 32–38 cm, and typically weigh between 65-95 grams. They can be identified by their long toes, reddish bill, and the distinctive lateral compression of their body. Both sexes appear very similar, though females are slightly smaller.

Habitat

These birds inhabit freshwater and brackish marshes, and occasionally salt marshes during winter months.

Distribution

Virginia rails are found in marshes from Nova Scotia to Southern British Columbia, California, and North Carolina, extending to Central America. Northern populations are migratory, while some Pacific coast populations are permanent residents.

Behaviour

More often heard than seen, Virginia rails are secretive and tend to run rather than fly when escaping predators. They are capable swimmers and divers, using their wings for propulsion. They are also considered a game species in certain regions, though they are rarely hunted.

Song & Calls

The Virginia rail emits a harsh "kuk kuk kuk" call, typically at night, along with grunting sounds. During spring, "tick-it" or "kid-ick" calls are common.

Diet and Feeding

Their diet primarily consists of insects and other aquatic invertebrates, supplemented by frogs, fish, small snakes, and seeds, particularly during fall and winter.

Breeding

Breeding begins around May, with courtship displays that include wing-raising and running by the male, bowing by both sexes, and the male feeding the female. Virginia rails are monogamous, with both parents involved in nest building and chick rearing. Nests are woven baskets of vegetation, concealed with additional material as incubation progresses. Clutches typically contain 4 to 13 eggs, which are incubated for 20 to 22 days.

Conservation status

The Virginia rail is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, remaining fairly common despite ongoing habitat loss.