Virginia Rail

(Rallus limicola)

Conservation Status
Virginia Rail
Photo by Tom Baker
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

 
  NatureServe

N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding

SNRB - Unranked Breeding

 
  Minnesota

not listed

Species in Greatest Conservation Need

 
           
 
Description
 
 

 

 
     
 

Size

 
 

9 to 11 in length

13 wingspan

 
     
 

Voice

 
   
     
 

 

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Wetlands

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Migration

 
 

Mid April to late May and August to September

 
     
 

Nesting

 
 

 

 
     
 

Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Occurrence

 
 

Uncommon migrant and breeder

 
         
 

Maps

 
 

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Aves (birds)  
 

Family

Gruiformes (cranes, rails, and allies)  
 

Subfamily

Rallidae (rails, gallinules, and coots)  
 

Genus

Rallus (greater rails)  
       
 

 

 
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Ecuadorian Rail (Rallus limicola aequatorialis)

Ecuadorian Rail (Rallus limicola meyerdeschauenseei)

Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola friedmanni)

Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola limicola)

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Tom Baker

 
    Virginia Rail   Virginia Rail  
           
    Virginia Rail   Virginia Rail  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

 

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Virginia Rail
Allen Chartier
 
  Virginia Rail  
  Virginia Rail
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren
 
  Virginia Rail  
  Virginia Rail
Roger
 
  Virginia Rail  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Virginia Rail (Rallidae: Rallus limicola) Playing Hide-n-Seek
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Jun 14, 2010

Photographed at Petersburg, North Dakota (14 June 2010).

   
  Virginia Rail, Rallus limicola
alex navarro
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Aug 11, 2010

Virginia Rail feeding

   
  Virginia Rail at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge on 6/30/2012
Chris Cru
 
   
 
About

Published on Jul 16, 2012

The Virgina Rail participates in extreme grooming.

   
  Virginia Rail Callling & Feeding
reflectionsofnature
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on May 28, 2009

Two video clips of a Virginia Rail, the first of the bird feeding and the second of the bird calling. This was the first time in years of going to this marsh that I have seen a Virginia Rail stay out in the open for long.

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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Tom Rice
6/23/2022 10:15 AM

Location: 6800 Pleasant Ave So. Richfield, MN

Feeding under my lawn sprinkler in the shade of a large pine. Stayed for about 15 minutes. I have some low quality photos.

 
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

Binoculars

 

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