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The rufous-necked wood rail is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae. It is found in Mexico, Central America, seven mainland South American countries, and Trinidad.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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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".
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Rufous-necked Wood Rail sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, Panama.
When to see it
Peak activity in January · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Little Wood RailAramides mangleThe little wood rail is 27 to 29 cm (11 to 11 in) long; one female weighed 164 g (5.8 oz).
Brown Wood RailAramides wolfiThe brown wood rail is 33 to 36 cm (13 to 14 in) long.
Red-winged Wood RailAramides calopterusThe red-winged wood rail is 31 to 35 cm (12 to 14 in) long.
Learn the Rufous-necked Wood Rail for real
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