Virginia Rail

The Virginia Rail, Rallus limicola, is a small waterbird, of the family Rallidae.

Adults are mainly brown, darker on the back and crown, with orange-brown legs. They have long toes, a short tail and a long slim reddish bill. Their cheeks are grey, with a light stripe over the eye and a whitish throat.

Their breeding habitat is marshes from Nova Scotia to California and North Carolina, also in Central America and South America. They nest in a dry location in marsh vegetation.

Northern populations migrate to the southern United States and Central America. On the Pacific coast, some are permanent residents.

These birds probe with their bill in mud or shallow water, also picking up food by sight. They mainly eat insects and aquatic animals.

These birds remain fairly common despite continuing loss of habitat.