Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey-cowled Wood Rail
Aramides cajaneus
Grey-cowled Wood Rail (Aramides cajaneus) — Cranes & Rails of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey-cowled Wood Rail (Aramides cajaneus) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 397 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 cajaneus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 397 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Rallidae
- Order
- Gruiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey-cowled Wood Rail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Grey-cowled Wood Rail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Grey-cowled Wood Rail (Aramides cajaneus) belongs to the Rallidae family of the order Gruiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Costa Rica to n Argentina.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 397 g, with a wing length of about 17.9 cm and a tail of around 6.3 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 13 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey-cowled Wood Rail?
The Grey-cowled Wood Rail is a large bird that weighs around 397 g.
Where does the Grey-cowled Wood Rail live?
The Grey-cowled Wood Rail is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Costa Rica to n Argentina, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Grey-cowled Wood Rail belong to?
The Grey-cowled Wood Rail (Aramides cajaneus) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.
What does the Grey-cowled Wood Rail eat?
The Grey-cowled Wood Rail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Grey-cowled Wood Rail migrate?
The Grey-cowled Wood Rail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Grey-cowled 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 Grey-cowled Wood Rail make?
1 real field recording of the Grey-cowled Wood Rail — including its dawn song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Grey-cowled Wood Rail's range?
The Grey-cowled Wood Rail has a mapped global range of about 13 million 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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