Photo: Len Blumin / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Near Threatened

Cranes & Rails

Ridgway’s Rail

Rallus obsoletus

Ridgway's Rail (Rallus obsoletus) — Cranes & Rails of North America.

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Found across 7 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Mexico Birds of the United States Birds of Arizona Birds of California Birds of Nevada

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Rails, Crakes & Coots of Mexico Rails, Crakes & Coots of the United States

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The Ridgway’s Rail (Rallus obsoletus) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 342 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

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

Where it lives

Southwestern USA to Baja California

Quick facts

Weight: 342 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

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

Behaviour

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

Migration

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

The Ridgway’s Rail (Rallus obsoletus) is a species of bird in the Rallidae family, part of the order Gruiformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw USA to Baja California.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 342 g, with a wing length of about 14.8 cm and a tail of around 5.6 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 57,000 km².

Songs & calls

Ridgway’s Rail — Call

Recorded by Paul Marvin Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Ridgway’s Rail?

The Ridgway’s Rail is a large bird that weighs around 342 g.

Where does the Ridgway’s Rail live?

The Ridgway’s Rail is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw USA to Baja California, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Ridgway’s Rail belong to?

The Ridgway’s Rail (Rallus obsoletus) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.

What does the Ridgway’s Rail eat?

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

Does the Ridgway’s Rail migrate?

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

Is the Ridgway’s Rail endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Ridgway’s Rail make?

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

The Ridgway’s Rail has a mapped global range of about 57,000 km².