Photo: David F. Belmonte / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Cranes & Rails

Mangrove Rail

Rallus longirostris

Mangrove Rail (Rallus longirostris) — Cranes & Rails of Central America & Caribbean.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Brazil Birds of Colombia Birds of Costa Rica Birds of Ecuador Birds of Peru

By family

Rails, Crakes & Coots of Brazil Rails, Crakes & Coots of Colombia Rails, Crakes & Coots of Costa Rica Rails, Crakes & Coots of Ecuador Rails, Crakes & Coots of Peru

See what's near you right now

The Mangrove Rail (Rallus longirostris) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 259 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Gruiformes
Family Rallidae Rails, Crakes & Coots
Genus Rallus
Species longirostris

Where it lives

Coasts of western MA and northern SA south to northwestern Peru

Quick facts

Weight: 259 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Endangered

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Mangrove Rail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of coastal habitats, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Mangrove Rail is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Mangrove Rail (Rallus longirostris) belongs to the Rallidae family of the order Gruiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA coasts of w MA and n SA s to nw Peru.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 259 g, with a wing length of about 13.3 cm and a tail of around 4.4 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 359,000 km².

Songs & calls

Mangrove Rail — Song

Recorded by Carlos Henrique Luz Nunes de Almeida Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Mangrove Rail?

The Mangrove Rail is a large bird that weighs around 259 g.

Where does the Mangrove Rail live?

The Mangrove Rail is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA coasts of w MA and n SA s to nw Peru, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Mangrove Rail belong to?

The Mangrove Rail (Rallus longirostris) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.

What does the Mangrove Rail eat?

The Mangrove Rail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Mangrove Rail migrate?

The Mangrove Rail is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Mangrove 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 Mangrove Rail make?

1 real field recording of the Mangrove Rail — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Mangrove Rail's range?

The Mangrove Rail has a mapped global range of about 359,000 km².