Ridgway's Rail Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  Ridgway’s Rails are chickenlike marsh birds with long, heavy, slightly drooping bills, and short, upturned tails. Head on, these rails look thin, but from the side they appear full-bodied. They are noticeably larger than similarly shaped Virginia Rails.

  Relative Size

  Larger than a Virginia Rail, smaller than an American Coot.

  between robin and crow

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 12.6-16.1 in (32-41 cm)
    • Weight: 6.3-16.8 oz (180-477 g)

  © Antonio Xeira / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Ridgway’s Rails are a rich cinnamon on the neck and breast, with dark-and-light barring below, and a mix of black and grayish brown on the back. When these birds lift their tails, it interjects a bold patch of white into the otherwise subtle color palette. The bill and legs are orangish.

• Behavior

  Ridgway’s Rails spend most of their time in dense vegetation, where they typically walk or run rather than fly. When flushed, they take flight for short distances with legs dangling below. They may swim to cross channels or escape threats such as high tides. Both males and females vocalize, with pairs giving duets of loud, grunting “clapper” calls.

• Habitat

  In coastal areas, Ridgway’s Rails inhabit saltmarshes with cordgrass and pickleweed interrupted by tidal sloughs. These rails also live in inland freshwater marshes with cattails, bulrushes, and sedges mixed with shallow pools of water.