Bird Guide

Brown-cheeked Rail vs King Rail

Brown-cheeked Rail (Rallus indicus)

Brown-cheeked Rail

Rallus indicus

Medium105 gWetland

The species differs from the slightly smaller nominate form through its paler upperparts, brown-tinged underparts and a brown stripe through the eye. Compared to R. a. korejewi, it is darker above, has a browner breast, white on the throat and a more obvious brown eyestripe. As indicated above, it has different vocalisations to the other forms, and is now usually given full species status, although its behaviour, nest and eggs are identical to those of other subspecies of water rail.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Brown-cheeked Rail
Recorded by Jochem Verweij · Call · Khurkh Bird Ringing Station, Биндэр, Хэнтий, Mongolia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: H yamaguchi · CC BY 2.0
King Rail (Rallus elegans)

King Rail

Rallus elegans

Large313 gWetland

Distinct features are a long bill with a slight downward curve, with adults being brown on the back and rusty-brown on the face and breast with a dark brown cap. They also have a white throat and a light belly with barred flanks. Undertail coverts are white and are displayed by the male during courtship. Immature birds are covered in down, with light brown on the head and darker brown on the back and wings. This bird's call is a low repeated grunt transcribed as kek-kek-kek.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the King Rail
Recorded by steve · Call · Buxton, Dare County, North Carolina, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: lwolfartist · CC BY 2.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Brown-cheeked Rail and King Rail.