African Rail
Rallus caerulescens
Reedbeds. Lateral head and underparts grey; upperparts rufous; bill, legs red.
Crakes, Flufftails, Rails
LC
Not Endemic
Description
Fairly common resident. Identified by long red bill and legs, brown upper parts and barred underparts. Immature is sooty-brown, white of throat extending to central breast, flanks barred rufous. The call is a shrill, trilling rattle ‘creeea-crak-crak-crak…’. A shy, skulking bird of reed beds and thick swamp vegetation, only occasionally emerging at pool fringes. Moves with stealth and speed, flicking its tail continuously.
Quick Facts
Size
36 cm - M
Names
A: Grootriethaan
Z: isiZinzi
Ss: Mopakapaka
G: Kapralle
Bird Family
Small birds associated with wetlands. They are highly secretive and difficult to flush, but once airborne fly a short distance with legs dangling before dropping back into cover; they can seldom be flushed a second time. Calls are usually the only indication of a species' presence. Crakes and rails have mostly cryptic colouring. The minute flufftails or pygmy crakes show marked sexual dimorphism.
Distribution
Gallery
Behaviour
Breeding
Habitat
