Photo: Mike Baird from Morro Bay, USA / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Cranes & Rails

Virginia Rail

Rallus limicola

Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) — Cranes & Rails of North America.

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 Canada Birds of the United States Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia Birds of Manitoba Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Nova Scotia Birds of Nunavut Birds of Ontario

By family

Rails, Crakes & Coots of Canada Rails, Crakes & Coots of the United States Rails, Crakes & Coots of Nova Scotia

See what's near you right now

The Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) is a member of the Rallidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 84.1 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 Rallus
Species limicola

Where it lives

Widespread

North America

Quick facts

Weight: 84.1 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Slaty-breasted Rail

Lewinia striata

Vulnerable

Bogota Rail

Rallus semiplumbeus

Least Concern

Lewin’s Rail

Lewinia pectoralis

Vulnerable

Auckland Rail

Lewinia muelleri

Biology & behaviour

Diet

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

Behaviour

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

Migration

The Virginia Rail is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) is a member of the Rallidae family, within the order Gruiformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA widespread.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 84.1 g, with a wing length of about 10.1 cm and a tail of around 3.9 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 5.7 million km².

Songs & calls

Virginia Rail — Call

Recorded by Frank Severson Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Virginia Rail?

The Virginia Rail is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 84.1 g.

Where does the Virginia Rail live?

The Virginia Rail is found across North America with a range covering NA widespread, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Virginia Rail belong to?

The Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.

What does the Virginia Rail eat?

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

Does the Virginia Rail migrate?

The Virginia Rail is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Virginia 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 Virginia Rail make?

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

The Virginia Rail has a mapped global range of about 5.7 million km².