Rallus aquaticus - Water Rail
Feather characters. Barbules are from short until medium length (0.5-1.1 mm). Barbules are divided into pigmented nodes and partly pigmented (less than 50%) internodes. Vase-shaped nodes are equally distributed along the entire length of barbules (23-32 per mm). Basal nodes are more developed, decreasing towards distal end. Villi are absent and internodes are straight. Minute prongs are present on distal end of barbules and on both sides of the pennulum.
Field characters. Size 23-28 cm. Weight 120 g (92-164) (Dunning, 1993). Difficult to observe; presence is usually proved by distinctive voice. In contrast to other rails, bill long, red. Upperparts, crown, and hind neck dark olive-brown, streaked black; face, throat, chest, fore-flanks, and fore-belly dark slate-blue; rear-flanks barred black and grey-white; undertail whitish; legs brownish-flesh; flight feathers and tail dark brown. Juvenile with black bill and grey-brown underparts mottled and barred dark.
Voice. A sharp, repeated "kik-kik-kik"; a series of "krueeh, krueeh, krueeh", gradually decreasing in volume; a variety of groaning, screaming, and trilling sounds, usually uttered at dusk or during the night.
Distribution. Fairly common summer visitor and resident. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Occurs in reedbeds and swamps; also in swampy borders of rivers and ponds.
Food. Insects and their larvae and, to a lesser extent, snails, annelids, shrimps, small crayfish, and spiders; during autumn and winter also plant material.