A small relative of the moorhen and coot and about the same size as a redshank, the water rail lives in reedbeds and freshwater wetlands where it feeds on invertebrates and small fish. Secretive and rarely seen, Water rails are more often heard calling; making a sound like a piglet squealing, they are unmistakeable. Around 1,100 pairs nest in in the UK.
How to identify
The water rail has a grey body, with black and brown streaked upperparts and black and white barring on the flanks. It has a long, red bill and pale pink legs.
Did you know?
Water rails are not often seen in flight as they prefer to migrate under the cover of darkness.
