Photo: Frank Thomas Sautter / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Cranes & Rails

Giant Wood Rail

Aramides ypecaha

Giant Wood Rail (Aramides ypecaha) — Cranes & Rails of South America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Argentina Birds of Brazil Birds of Spain Birds of the United States Birds of Florida Birds of Washington

By family

Rails, Crakes & Coots of Argentina Rails, Crakes & Coots of Brazil Rails, Crakes & Coots of Spain Rails, Crakes & Coots of the United States Rails, Crakes & Coots of Florida

See what's near you right now

The Giant Wood Rail (Aramides ypecaha) is a member of the Rallidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 700 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 Aramides
Species ypecaha

Where it lives

Eastern Paraguay to southeastern Brazil, Uruguay and northeastern Argentina

South America

Quick facts

Weight: 700 g
Diet: Omnivores
Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Endangered

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Giant Wood Rail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Giant Wood Rail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Giant Wood Rail (Aramides ypecaha) is a species of bird in the Rallidae family, part of the order Gruiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA e Paraguay to se Brazil, Uruguay and ne Argentina.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 700 g, with a wing length of about 22.3 cm and a tail of around 8.8 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3.7 million km².

Songs & calls

Giant Wood Rail — Call

Recorded by Marcos E. Sosa Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Giant Wood Rail?

The Giant Wood Rail is a large bird that weighs around 700 g.

Where does the Giant Wood Rail live?

The Giant Wood Rail is found across South America with a range covering SA e Paraguay to se Brazil, Uruguay and ne Argentina, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Giant Wood Rail belong to?

The Giant Wood Rail (Aramides ypecaha) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.

What does the Giant Wood Rail eat?

The Giant Wood Rail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Giant Wood Rail migrate?

The Giant Wood Rail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Giant 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 Giant Wood Rail make?

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

How large is the Giant Wood Rail's range?

The Giant Wood Rail has a mapped global range of about 3.7 million km².