African Rail
Rallus caerulescens
Embed This Widget
Add the script tag and a data attribute to embed this widget.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<div data-birdfyi="bird" data-slug="rallus-caerulescens"></div>Embed via iframe for maximum compatibility.
<iframe src="https://birdfyi.com/iframe/bird/rallus-caerulescens/" width="420" height="400" frameborder="0" style="border:0;border-radius:10px;max-width:100%" loading="lazy"></iframe>Paste this URL in WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-compatible platform.
https://birdfyi.com/bird/rallus-caerulescens/Add a dynamic SVG badge to your README or docs.
[](https://birdfyi.com/bird/rallus-caerulescens/)Use the native HTML custom element.
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/birdfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>
<birdfyi-bird slug="rallus-caerulescens"></birdfyi-bird>
Least Concern
Wingspan
23.8 cm
Weight
160.25 g
Family
Rallidae
Order
Gruiformes
About
African Rail (Rallus caerulescens), 28 cm. Brown above with dark streaks; blue-grey underparts; barred white flanks; red bill and legs. Found in freshwater reedbeds and swamp margins across sub-Saharan Africa. Omnivore. Least Concern; common in wetland habitat.
Physical Description
| Measurement | Value | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Wingspan | 23.8 cm | 9.4 in |
| Weight | 160.25 g | 5.65 oz |
Habitat & Range
Conservation Status
Least Concern
IUCN Red List
Behavior & Breeding
Nesting
Nest type: HC. Incubation: 20 days.
Clutch Size
2-6
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Gruiformes (Cranes & Rails) |
| Family | Rallidae (Rails, Crakes & Coots) |
| Genus | Rallus |
| Species | Rallus caerulescens |
Distribution
African Rail has been recorded in 1 countries.
{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}
Present
Not recorded
countries highlighted
External Databases
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the African Rail endangered?
The African Rail has a conservation status of Least Concern.
How does the African Rail nest?
Nest type: HC. Incubation: 20 days.
How big is the African Rail?
The African Rail has a wingspan of 23.8 cm, weight of 160.25 g.
What order and family does the African Rail belong to?
The African Rail (Rallus caerulescens) belongs to the order Gruiformes and the family Rallidae.
Similar Birds
Other species in the Rallidae family
African Crake
Crex egregia
Least Concern
African Swamphen
Porphyrio madagascariensis
Not Evaluated
Allen's Gallinule
Porphyrio alleni
Least Concern
American Coot
Fulica americana
Least Concern
Andaman Crake
Rallina canningi
Least Concern
Andean Coot
Fulica ardesiaca
Least Concern
Ascension Crake
Mundia elpenor
Extinct
Ash-throated Crake
Porzana albicollis
Least Concern