The Virginia rail (Rallus limicola) is a small waterbird, of the family Rallidae. These birds remain fairly common despite continuing loss of habitat, but are secretive by nature and more often heard than seen.[2] They are also considered a game species in some provinces and states, though rarely hunted.[3] The Ecuadorian rail is often considered a subspecies, but some taxonomic authorities consider it distinct.
Adults are mainly brown, darker on the back and crown, with orange-brown legs. To walk through dense vegetation, they have evolved a laterally compressed body and strong forehead feathers adapted to withstand wear from pushing through vegetation. Virginia rails have the highest ratio of leg-muscle to flight-muscle of all birds (25% - 15% of body weight respectively). They have long toes used to walk on floating vegetation. Their tail is short and they have a long slim reddish bill. Their cheeks are grey, with a light stripe over the eye and a whitish throat. Chicks are black. Juveniles are blackish brown on upperparts with rufous on the edge of feathers and brownish bill and legs. Their underparts are dark brown to black, while the face is grayish brown.[4] Both sexes are very similar, with females being slightly smaller. Adults measure 20–27 cm, with a wingspan of 32–38 cm, and usually weigh 65-95 g.
Taxonomyedit
The Virginia rail is in the genus Rallus, a genus of other long-billed rails. It is thought to be closely related to R. semiplumbeus and R. antarcticus. There are currently two recognized subspecies of Rallus limicola:
The Virginia rail lives in freshwater and brackish marshes, sometimes salt marshes in winter. Northern populations migrate to the southern United States and Central America. On the Pacific coast, some are permanent residents. Its breeding habitat is marshes from Nova Scotia to Southern British Columbia, California and North Carolina, and in Central America. It often coexists with soras, another species of wetland rail.
Behavioredit
The Virginia rail often runs to escape predators, instead of flying. When it does fly, it is usually short distances or for migration. It can also swim and dive using its wings to propel itself.
Vocalizationsedit
This bird has a number of calls, including a harsh kuk kuk kuk, usually heard at night. It also makes grunting noises. In spring, it will make tick-it or kid-ick calls.
Dietedit
The Virginia rail probes with its bill in mud or shallow water, also picking up food by sight. It mainly eat insects and other aquatic invertebrates, like beetles, flies, dragonflies, crayfish, snails and earthworms. It can also eat aquatic animals like frogs, fish and some small snakes, as well as seeds. Animal preys constitute the biggest part of this bird's diet, but vegetation contributes to its diet in the fall and winter.
Reproductionedit
Courtship starts around May. The male will raise his wings and run back and forth next to the female. Both sexes bow, and the male feeds the female. Before copulation, the male approaches the female while grunting.[5] Virginia rails are monogamous. Both parents build the nest and care for the young, whereas only the male defends the territory. The nest is built as the first egg is laid and consists of a basket of woven vegetation. The nest is made using plants like cattails, reeds and grasses. They also build dummy nests around the marsh. They nest near the base of emergent vegetation in areas with vegetation creating a canopy above the nest.[6]
This birds lays a clutch of 4 to 13 white or buff eggs with sparse gray or brown spotting. The eggs generally measure 32 by 24 millimetres (1.26 by 0.94 in). They are incubated by both parents for a period of 20 to 22 days, in which the parents continue to add nesting material to conceal the nest.[6] When the eggs hatch, the parents feed the young for two to three weeks, when the chicks become independent. The young can fly in less than a month. The pair bond between the parents breaks after the young become independent.
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2019). "Rallus limicola". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T22692479A155617216. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22692479A155617216.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^"Virginia Rail". Audubon. National Audubon Society. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
^Tacha, Thomas C.; Braun, Clait E. (1994). Migratory shore and upland game bird management in North America. Washington, D.C.: International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Dept. of the Interior. pp. 193–206. ISBN0935868755.
^"Virginia Rail". All About Birds. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
^"Râle de Virginie". Oiseaux.net. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
^ abHauber, Mark E. (1 August 2014). The Book of Eggs: A Life-Size Guide to the Eggs of Six Hundred of the World's Bird Species. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 61. ISBN978-0-226-05781-1.
Interactive range map of Rallus limicola at IUCN Red List maps
December 03, 2023
virginia, rail, this, article, about, bird, high, speed, rail, line, serving, northern, virginia, washington, virginia, railway, express, rail, travel, whole, state, list, railroads, virginia, rallus, limicola, small, waterbird, family, rallidae, these, birds,. This article is about the bird For the high speed rail line serving Northern Virginia and Washington D C see Virginia Railway Express For rail travel in the whole state see List of railroads in Virginia The Virginia rail Rallus limicola is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae These birds remain fairly common despite continuing loss of habitat but are secretive by nature and more often heard than seen 2 They are also considered a game species in some provinces and states though rarely hunted 3 The Ecuadorian rail is often considered a subspecies but some taxonomic authorities consider it distinct Virginia railIn Morro Bay California USAConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder GruiformesFamily RallidaeGenus RallusSpecies R limicolaBinomial nameRallus limicolaVieillot 1819 Breeding Year round Nonbreeding Contents 1 Description 2 Taxonomy 3 Habitat and distribution 4 Behavior 4 1 Vocalizations 4 2 Diet 4 3 Reproduction 5 References 6 External linksDescription edit nbsp R l aequatorialis left and nominate right Adults are mainly brown darker on the back and crown with orange brown legs To walk through dense vegetation they have evolved a laterally compressed body and strong forehead feathers adapted to withstand wear from pushing through vegetation Virginia rails have the highest ratio of leg muscle to flight muscle of all birds 25 15 of body weight respectively They have long toes used to walk on floating vegetation Their tail is short and they have a long slim reddish bill Their cheeks are grey with a light stripe over the eye and a whitish throat Chicks are black Juveniles are blackish brown on upperparts with rufous on the edge of feathers and brownish bill and legs Their underparts are dark brown to black while the face is grayish brown 4 Both sexes are very similar with females being slightly smaller Adults measure 20 27 cm with a wingspan of 32 38 cm and usually weigh 65 95 g Taxonomy editThe Virginia rail is in the genus Rallus a genus of other long billed rails It is thought to be closely related to R semiplumbeus and R antarcticus There are currently two recognized subspecies of Rallus limicola R l limicola Vieillot 1819 R l friedmanni Dickerman 1966Habitat and distribution editThe Virginia rail lives in freshwater and brackish marshes sometimes salt marshes in winter Northern populations migrate to the southern United States and Central America On the Pacific coast some are permanent residents Its breeding habitat is marshes from Nova Scotia to Southern British Columbia California and North Carolina and in Central America It often coexists with soras another species of wetland rail Behavior editThe Virginia rail often runs to escape predators instead of flying When it does fly it is usually short distances or for migration It can also swim and dive using its wings to propel itself Vocalizations edit This bird has a number of calls including a harsh kuk kuk kuk usually heard at night It also makes grunting noises In spring it will make tick it or kid ick calls Diet edit The Virginia rail probes with its bill in mud or shallow water also picking up food by sight It mainly eat insects and other aquatic invertebrates like beetles flies dragonflies crayfish snails and earthworms It can also eat aquatic animals like frogs fish and some small snakes as well as seeds Animal preys constitute the biggest part of this bird s diet but vegetation contributes to its diet in the fall and winter Reproduction edit Courtship starts around May The male will raise his wings and run back and forth next to the female Both sexes bow and the male feeds the female Before copulation the male approaches the female while grunting 5 Virginia rails are monogamous Both parents build the nest and care for the young whereas only the male defends the territory The nest is built as the first egg is laid and consists of a basket of woven vegetation The nest is made using plants like cattails reeds and grasses They also build dummy nests around the marsh They nest near the base of emergent vegetation in areas with vegetation creating a canopy above the nest 6 This birds lays a clutch of 4 to 13 white or buff eggs with sparse gray or brown spotting The eggs generally measure 32 by 24 millimetres 1 26 by 0 94 in They are incubated by both parents for a period of 20 to 22 days in which the parents continue to add nesting material to conceal the nest 6 When the eggs hatch the parents feed the young for two to three weeks when the chicks become independent The young can fly in less than a month The pair bond between the parents breaks after the young become independent References edit BirdLife International 2019 Rallus limicola IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019 e T22692479A155617216 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2019 3 RLTS T22692479A155617216 en Retrieved 13 November 2021 Virginia Rail Audubon National Audubon Society Retrieved 8 October 2016 Tacha Thomas C Braun Clait E 1994 Migratory shore and upland game bird management in North America Washington D C International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service U S Dept of the Interior pp 193 206 ISBN 0935868755 Virginia Rail All About Birds Cornell Lab of Ornithology Retrieved 2 October 2016 Rale de Virginie Oiseaux net Retrieved 12 October 2016 a b Hauber Mark E 1 August 2014 The Book of Eggs A Life Size Guide to the Eggs of Six Hundred of the World s Bird Species Chicago University of Chicago Press p 61 ISBN 978 0 226 05781 1 External links editVirginia rail Rallus limicola USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter Virginia rail species account Cornell Lab of Ornithology Virginia rail photo gallery at VIREO Drexel University Virginia rail media Internet Bird Collection Interactive range map of Rallus limicola at IUCN Red List maps Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Virginia rail amp oldid 1180282828, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
