Water Rail

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Water Rail

(Rallus aquaticus), a bird of the family Rallidae. Length, approximately 30 cm. The feathers on the back are clay-brown with dark longitudinal markings, and the breast is a grayish light blue.

The water rail is a migratory bird. In the USSR it nests in the southern and central band from the western border to Primor’e; it winters in Transcaucasia and the south of Middle Asia. The bird lives in reed thickets near bodies of water. There are 6-10 mottled eggs in a clutch. The water rail is nocturnal and feeds mainly on aquatic invertebrates.

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References in periodicals archive ?

It was the first sighting of three water rail in one day since October 30, 1883.

25 years of ups and downs for the wildlife of the Farne Islands

Winter census of the water rail Rallus aquaticus in Slovenia.

Age ratios, sex ratios, and a population estimate of yellow rails at San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

WE thought that Echo readers may be interested in this picture of a water rail that visited our garden in Rhiwbina, usually twice a day, during February, March and into April.

A rail delight in our garden pond; Yousay IN YOUR OPINION..

A kingfisher, water rail and barn owl are being seen regularly but they are finding the conditions tough going.

A FOOT of snow covered [...]

For landscape architect Greg Trutza, a spiraling water rail in the Italian gardens of the Villa d'Este at Tivoli became an unlikely muse.

The artists: James Morgan & Greg Trutza

Landscape architect Greg Trutza adapted an idea from Renaissance gardens for this contemporary Phoenix terrace: the water rail. It's a particularly distinctive feature of the Villa d'Este at Tivoli near Rome, where water courses through the top of a staircase railing.

The railing is a spillway

The reference collection of marks consisted of imprints in model eggs of the bills of all possible avian predators that occur regularly in or close to our study area: Bittern (Botaurus stellaris), Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus), Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), Hooded Crow (Corvus corone cornix), Great Reed Warbler, and Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus).

PATTERNS OF NEST PREDATION CONTRIBUTE TO POLYGYNY IN THE GREAT REED WARBLER

This transfers the heat to fresh water, which is used in a water rail for hand-washing.

Harvesting heat

IT'S always a pleasure to see a water rail darting across from one reedbed to another.

GO WILDWITH ERIC PAYLOR

Lobster fisherman Jim Reid, 77, and his grandson David Irvine, 35, were all smiles after their boat, Water Rail, was found by a passing trawler last May.

Fisherman lost in haar didn't have the foggiest STAR-STUDDED; Lost at sea OAP Jim and his grandson were lucky to survive, experts report

There are also sightings of grey herons, water rail, kingfisher, greenshank and common sandpiper.