Photo: Alan Schmierer / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-necked Wood Rail
Aramides axillaris
Rufous-necked Wood Rail (Aramides axillaris) — Cranes & Rails of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous-necked Wood Rail (Aramides axillaris) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 292 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Gruiformes
- Family Rallidae Rails, Crakes & Coots
- Genus Aramides
- Species axillaris
Quick facts
- Weight
- 292 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Rallidae
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-necked Wood Rail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense woodland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Rufous-necked Wood Rail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-necked Wood Rail (Aramides axillaris) belongs to the Rallidae family of the order Gruiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Mexico to Ecuador, Belize and n SA.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 292 g, with a wing length of about 16.6 cm and a tail of around 5.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 394,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-necked Wood Rail?
The Rufous-necked Wood Rail is a large bird that weighs around 292 g.
Where does the Rufous-necked Wood Rail live?
The Rufous-necked Wood Rail is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Mexico to Ecuador, Belize and n SA, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rufous-necked Wood Rail belong to?
The Rufous-necked Wood Rail (Aramides axillaris) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.
What does the Rufous-necked Wood Rail eat?
The Rufous-necked Wood Rail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Rufous-necked Wood Rail migrate?
The Rufous-necked Wood Rail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-necked Wood Rail endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Rufous-necked Wood Rail make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-necked Wood Rail — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Rufous-necked Wood Rail's range?
The Rufous-necked Wood Rail has a mapped global range of about 394,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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