Photo: Rick elis.simpson / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Cranes & Rails

Spotted Rail

Pardirallus maculatus

Spotted Rail (Pardirallus maculatus) — Cranes & Rails of Central America & Caribbean.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 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 Colombia Birds of Costa Rica Birds of Ecuador Birds of Mexico Birds of Peru Birds of the United States Birds of Pennsylvania Birds of Texas

By family

Rails, Crakes & Coots of Argentina 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 Mexico Rails, Crakes & Coots of Peru Rails, Crakes & Coots of the United States Rails, Crakes & Coots of Pennsylvania Rails, Crakes & Coots of Texas

See what's near you right now

The Spotted Rail (Pardirallus maculatus) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 171 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 Pardirallus
Species maculatus

Where it lives

Widespread, also Caribbean

Quick facts

Weight: 171 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

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

Behaviour

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

Migration

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

The Spotted Rail (Pardirallus maculatus) belongs to the Rallidae family of the order Gruiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA widespread, also Caribbean.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 171 g, with a wing length of about 12.2 cm and a tail of around 4.8 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 7.5 million km².

Songs & calls

Spotted Rail — Song

Recorded by José Menéndez Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Spotted Rail?

The Spotted Rail is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 171 g.

Where does the Spotted Rail live?

The Spotted Rail is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA widespread, also Caribbean, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Spotted Rail belong to?

The Spotted Rail (Pardirallus maculatus) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.

What does the Spotted Rail eat?

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

Does the Spotted Rail migrate?

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

Is the Spotted 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 Spotted Rail make?

1 real field recording of the Spotted 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 Spotted Rail's range?

The Spotted Rail has a mapped global range of about 7.5 million km².