About the Spotted Rail
The spotted 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, the Caribbean, and South America.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The spotted rail is 25 to 28 cm (9.8 to 11.0 in) long and weighs 130 to 220 g (4.6 to 7.8 oz); females are slightly smaller than males. The sexes are alike. They have a long greenish bill (beak) with a red spot at the base of the mandible and pinkish legs. "Immatures are much drabber (some may lack barring), but older immatures have pattern of the adult." The juvenile has a more yellowish bill, a brown iris, generally drabber, especially their legs and feet and a variable plumage of 3 morphs. Voice: The spotted rail makes a "oud repeated, rasping, groaning screech, usually preceded by grunt or pop, 'g'reech' or 'pum-kreep'" resembling a "decelerating-accelerating : 'pJEW-pJEW pJEEEW pJEEEW-pJEW'" when it is agitated, or making an aggressive or territorial call. "Calls include a deep thumping sound, almost low enough where one feels it more than hears it.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Spotted Rail sounds like
Where the Spotted Rail lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, Venezuela, Trinidad & Tobago.
When to see the Spotted Rail
Peak activity in December · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
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