Bird Guide

Giant Wood Rail vs Rufous-necked Wood Rail

Giant Wood Rail (Aramides ypecaha)

Giant Wood Rail

Aramides ypecaha

Large700 gForest

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

Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Rufous-necked Wood Rail (Aramides axillaris)

Rufous-necked Wood Rail

Aramides axillaris

Medium292 gWoodland

The rufous-necked wood rail is 29 to 33 cm (11 to 13 in) long and weighs about 300 to 325 g (11 to 11 oz). The sexes are alike. They have long, stout, yellow-green bills and red legs and feet. Adults' head, neck, and breast are rufous brown. Their nape and upper back are gray and the rest of the back olive brown to greenish olive. Their wings are greenish olive and chestnut. Their rump, tail, flanks, and undertail coverts are black. Their throat is white and their belly grayish brown. Juveniles are much duller overall. Their upperparts are like the adults' but duller. Voice: The rufous-necked wood rail's song has been described as "loud, irregularly paced kip and kow notes, e.g., kip-kow-kip, kow-kip-kow, kip-kowkip-kow, kow, kow, kow-kip". Pairs sing in duet "a strident series of musical notes...CHI burr... CHI burr... CHI burr....". They mostly sing at dusk and dawn but also at night. The species also makes "a cluck and kik in alarm".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Rufous-necked Wood Rail
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Loja: 'Reserva Jorupe' ca. 4 km E Macará, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: datadan · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Giant Wood Rail and Rufous-necked Wood Rail.