Birds
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticus · also called water rails
Squealing an unearthly, almost pig-like call from somewhere deep within a reed bed, a water rail startles passersby who rarely suspect the sound belongs to a bird at all, one of the most secretive residents of European and Asian wetlands.
Overview
The water rail, Rallus aquaticus, is a secretive marsh bird native to wetland habitat across a broad range spanning Europe and parts of Asia. Its startlingly pig-like squealing call, laterally flattened body built for slipping through dense reeds, and unusual tolerance for cold winter conditions compared with several migratory relatives make it one of the most acoustically memorable yet visually elusive members of the entire rail family.
A voice that fools the ear
Few birds produce a sound as genuinely disorienting as the water rail’s pig-like squeal, a call so unlike typical birdsong that it has likely convinced more than a few startled listeners that something entirely different was hiding in the reeds.
Status
Least Concern, remaining present across suitable wetland habitat throughout Europe and parts of Asia.
Water Rail: common questions
Why does the water rail's call sound so unusual?
This species produces a distinctive, startlingly pig-like squealing call, often described as sounding more like a distressed animal than a bird, a sound that can genuinely surprise anyone unfamiliar with it hearing it unexpectedly from within dense reed cover.
Why is the water rail so hard to see?
This species is extremely secretive and rarely seen, spending almost its entire life within dense reed beds and emergent marsh vegetation, relying on its laterally flattened body to move through cover without ever needing to venture into the open.
Does the water rail migrate for winter?
Not entirely, since this species tolerates cold winter conditions better than several other rail species, remaining within parts of its breeding range year-round rather than undertaking a full migration south, unlike some of its more strictly migratory relatives.
What does the water rail eat?
This species feeds on insects, worms, snails, small fish, and other aquatic invertebrates, probed from mud and shallow water using a long, slightly curved red bill well suited to reaching hidden prey.