Giant Wood Rail
Aramides ypecaha
The giant wood rail is 41 to 45 cm (16 to 18 in) long, and possibly as long as 53 cm (21 in). Two females weighed 640 and 765 g (23 and 27 oz). The sexes are alike. Adults have a large mustard yellow bill, a red eye, and red legs and feet. Their face to their upper chest is bluish gray with a white chin. The back of their neck is rust red, their back olive, and their uppertail coverts and tail are black. Their flanks, breast, and belly are brownish pink. Juvenile plumage has not been described. Voice: The giant wood rail is highly vocal, calling during the day and evening. Several birds gather and "set up an astonishingly powerful, even deafening, chorus of screams, shrieks and wheezes".
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Grey-cowled Wood Rail
Aramides cajaneus
The grey-cowled wood rail usually measures 33–40 centimetres (13–16 in) long and weighs 320–465 grams (11.3–16.4 oz), particularly large for a wood rail. The upperparts are olive-green to dark brown. The head and neck are medium-grey, blending into a brown patch at the back of the head. The eyes are red. The chest and flanks are rufous. The belly, rump, and tail are black. The legs are coral-red, while the bill is a bright greenish-yellow. The males and females are similar. Juvenile birds are similar to the adult but are duller in colour, with their belly sooty-black and flecked with buff. Voice: The grey-cowled wood rail has a loud, repetitive cackling call mainly heard at dawn and dusk: pop-tiyi pop-tiyi co-co-co-co-co or chitico chitico cao-cao-cao. These songs are often sung in a chorus or duet. The alarm call is a harsh, loud cackle or clucking shriek. The chitico chitico cao-cao-cao call made by this rail is similar to the brown wood rail's kui-ko call.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where you might meet both
Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App
Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.
Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Giant Wood Rail and Grey-cowled Wood Rail.