Photo: Leoxiong / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Cranes & Rails

Lewin’s Rail

Lewinia pectoralis

Lewin's Rail (Lewinia pectoralis) — Cranes & Rails of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 13 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Indonesia Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria

By family

Rails, Crakes & Coots of Australia Rails, Crakes & Coots of Indonesia Rails, Crakes & Coots of New South Wales Rails, Crakes & Coots of Queensland Rails, Crakes & Coots of Tasmania

See what's near you right now

The Lewin’s Rail (Lewinia pectoralis) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 78 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 Lewinia
Species pectoralis

Where it lives

Central Lesser Sundas, New Guinea and eastern Australia

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 78 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Lewin’s Rail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

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

The Lewin’s Rail (Lewinia pectoralis) belongs to the Rallidae family of the order Gruiformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU c Lesser Sundas, New Guinea and e Australia.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 78 g, with a wing length of about 9.4 cm and a tail of around 4.1 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 975,000 km².

Songs & calls

Lewin’s Rail — Song

Recorded by Marc Anderson Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Lewin’s Rail?

The Lewin’s Rail is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 78 g.

Where does the Lewin’s Rail live?

The Lewin’s Rail is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU c Lesser Sundas, New Guinea and e Australia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Lewin’s Rail belong to?

The Lewin’s Rail (Lewinia pectoralis) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.

What does the Lewin’s Rail eat?

The Lewin’s Rail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Lewin’s Rail migrate?

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

Is the Lewin’s 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 Lewin’s Rail make?

1 real field recording of the Lewin’s 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 Lewin’s Rail's range?

The Lewin’s Rail has a mapped global range of about 975,000 km².