Species group · Birds

Rails

WAnimals has 2 species of rail, all in the family Rallidae.

2 species
1 family
46 countries
136 parks
Weight
92 g – 536 g
Length
23 cm – 42 cm
Lifespan
6 – 13 years

Ranges calculated from the entries that record the figure, not from all 2.

All 2 species of rails on WAnimals

Each one has its own full entry. This group does not replace them: it brings them together.

Conservation status

1 Least Concern1 Endangered

1 especies in this group están en alguna categoría de riesgo real según la UICN.

See the global conservation status

Where they live

Recorded in 46 countries. The ones with the most species in the group:

Where to see them

Did you know…

  • Its laterally flattened body lets it slip through dense reedbeds.

    From Water Rail

  • It is heard far more often than seen, giving itself away with a high squealing call known as sharming.

    From Water Rail

  • Its chicks feed themselves from as early as 5 days old.

    From Water Rail

  • It eats worms, crustaceans and fruit, and occasionally other prey: it is one of the rails with the most varied diet.

    From Lord Howe Woodhen

  • It is one of more than thirty rail species that have lost the ability to fly after colonising oceanic islands, an evolutionary pattern repeated throughout the family.

    From Lord Howe Woodhen

  • Its recovery from a tiny population is one of the most frequently cited cases of island management in Australia.

    From Lord Howe Woodhen

Ecosystems

See every species group · Explore the species one by one