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Recent bird sightings
Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Water Rail
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticus
Gaelic: Snagan Alt
Photograph © Peter C Shearer
Aignish, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
13th July, 2007."Thought you might be interested in this sighting of a Water Rail and chick on a loch in Aignish....Heard it yesterday and got some photos today. Not great photos but enlarged show both adult and chick."
- Water Rail
- Rallus aquaticus
- Gaelic: Snagan Alt
- UK: AMBER LIST . 700-1,400 pairs breeding (RSPB)
- WI: Rare resident or migrant breeder (1-9 breeding records), Scarce passage and winter visitor (Very small numbers each year)
- Breeding: Covered nest on ground in dry patch of marshy vegetation. Marshes, Reedbed. lays 6-12 creamy-grey-spotted eggs. Europe, Asia
- Wintering: Populations in North & East Europe migratory & join resident birds in West & South Europe in winter
- Large, narrow, long-legged and crake-like. Long, red bill. Short, rounded wings. Slate-grey face, throat & belly. Flanks black & white 'striped' . Tail often held cocked like wren. White undertail. Long, pink legs trail in flight. Skulker
- Listen to a Water Rail (RSPB site) Squealing, grunting, purring
- Similar birds: Moorhen, Spotted Crake
Water Rail records in the Western Isles
Rare resident or migrant breeder (1-9 breeding records), Scarce passage and winter visitor (Very small numbers each year)
Source: Outer Hebrides Bird Report (2001)
On the chart below the darker the shade of blue the more abundant the Water Rail is during a month or the more likely you are to see it.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
(Source: Outer Hebrides Birds Checklist)
Sources of information for the bird sightings section
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