Virginia Rail
The Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) is a species of water bird of the family Rallidae. It is found from Nova Scotia to California and North Carolina. It is also found in Central America and South America. Its preferred breeding habitat is marshes. Northern populations migrate to the southern United States and Central America. Some Pacific Coast populations are permanent residents. Despite continued loss of habitat, this bird remains fairly common.
The adult is mainly brown, darker on the back and crown, and has orange-brown legs. It has long toes, a short tail and a long slim reddish bill. Its cheeks are gray, with a light stripe over the eye and a white throat. A number of calls are common, including a harsh kuk kuk kuk, usually heard at night.
This secretive bird uses cattails and other plants to build a platform nest in a dry location in the marsh. The female lays 5 to 13 eggs and both parents care for the young, who are able to fly in less than one month. The diet of this bird consists of insects and aquatic animals that it picks from mud or shallow water by probing with their bill.