African Rail (Rallus caerulescens)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

African Rail

Rallus caerulescens Gmelin, JF, 1789

162 gWeight

The African rail (Rallus caerulescens), sometimes also Kaffir rail, is a small wetland bird of the rail family that is found in eastern and southern Africa.

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Uganda

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

African Rail has been recorded at 152 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 15 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Marievale Bird SanctuarySouth Africa591 records
  2. Wakkerstroom Wetland NR – bridge/causewaySouth Africa274 records
  3. Nairobi NPKenya189 records
More places
  1. West Coast NP – Geelbek hides vicinitySouth Africa182 records
  2. Wakkerstroom Wetland NRSouth Africa169 records
  3. West Coast NP – Abrahamskraal hideSouth Africa153 records
  4. West Coast NPSouth Africa109 records
  5. Macaneta – Wetland, dune forests and coastMozambique94 records
  6. KwaDukuza – Sappi Stanger hideSouth Africa90 records
  7. Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Ngorongoro CraterTanzania76 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaKenyaUgandaTanzaniaMozambiqueZimbabweZambiaBotswana

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The African rail (Rallus caerulescens), sometimes also Kaffir rail, is a small wetland bird of the rail family that is found in eastern and southern Africa.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the African Rail?

The African Rail weighs around 162 g.

Where does the African Rail live?

Its breeding range: Africa: eastern, south-central, southeastern, southern. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Kenya and Uganda.

When is the best time to see the African Rail?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the African Rail endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the African Rail as Least Concern.

What does the African Rail eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the African Rail in?

It belongs to the family Rails, Crakes & Coots (Rallidae), order Gruiformes.

At a glance

Weight
162 g
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
119 mm
Tail
42 mm
Bill
50 mm
Tarsus
40 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: eastern, south-central, southeastern, southern

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Rails, Crakes & Coots Rallidae
Genus
Rallus

Other birds in the genus Rallus

Ridgway's RailRidgway's RailRallus obsoletusClapper RailClapper RailRallus crepitansAztec RailAztec RailRallus tenuirostrisMangrove RailMangrove RailRallus longirostrisKing RailKing RailRallus elegansPlain-flanked RailPlain-flanked RailRallus wetmoreiVirginia RailVirginia RailRallus limicolaBogota RailBogota RailRallus semiplumbeusEcuadorian RailEcuadorian RailRallus aequatorialisAustral RailAustral RailRallus antarcticusWater RailWater RailRallus aquaticusBrown-cheeked RailBrown-cheeked RailRallus indicus
African Rail

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Colin Ralston. ↗

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