The Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) is a small, secretive marsh bird found in wetlands across much of North America. With its narrow body and weak flight, this species spends most of its time walking through dense vegetation in search of food. Although Virginia Rails can be difficult to spot, birders who know where and when to look can find these birds at certain locations throughout their range.
Overview of the Virginia Rail
The Virginia Rail is a rather plain-looking bird with a slender profile and long bill. Adults have brown upperparts with black streaking, a reddish face and breast, and blue-gray underparts with bold black and white barring on the flanks. Their short tail often cocks upward. Virginia Rails measure 6-10 inches in length and weigh just 1.5-3 ounces.
This species inhabits freshwater and brackish wetlands across North America. They breed from coast to coast and as far north as central Canada. Virginia Rails winter primarily along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Though they’re present year-round in parts of their range, northern populations migrate south for the winter while some southern birds move to the coast.
Virginia Rails forage for insects, spiders, snails, and seeds along muddy shorelines, in reed beds, and in dense marsh vegetation. They primarily search for food while walking, sometimes probing their bill into the mud or flipping over debris to uncover prey. Their diet shifts seasonally to take advantage of abundant food sources.
Where to See Virginia Rails
Virginia Rails inhabit fresh and saltwater marshes, wet meadows, pond edges, and other wetlands with dense emergent vegetation. Some key places in the United States and Canada to spot this species include:
Eastern United States
- James River Park System – Richmond, Virginia
- Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge – Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge – Knotts Island, North Carolina
- Cape May Peninsula – New Jersey
- Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge – New York City, New York
- Parker River National Wildlife Refuge – Newburyport, Massachusetts
- Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge – Middletown, Rhode Island
- Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge – Smyrna, Delaware
- Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge – Cambridge, Maryland
- Patuxent Research Refuge – Laurel, Maryland
Midwest United States
- Magee Marsh Wildlife Area – Oak Harbor, Ohio
- Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge – Oak Harbor, Ohio
- Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area – Marion, Ohio
- Mingo National Wildlife Refuge – Puxico, Missouri
- Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge – Brussels, Illinois
- Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge – Saginaw, Michigan
- Kankakee Sands Preserve – Morocco, Indiana
- Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area – Medaryville, Indiana
- Necedah National Wildlife Refuge – Necedah, Wisconsin
- Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge – Zimmerman, Minnesota
Western United States
- Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge – Brigham City, Utah
- Gray Lodge Wildlife Area – Gridley, California
- Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge – Klamath Falls, Oregon
- Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge – Ridgefield, Washington
- Chehalis River Surge Plain Natural Area – Oakville, Washington
- Shillapoo Wildlife Area – Vancouver, Washington
Canada
- Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area – Regina, Saskatchewan
- Oak Hammock Marsh – Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Minesing Swamp – Barrie, Ontario
- Pelee Island – Kingsville, Ontario
- Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area – Saint-Joachim, Quebec
Best Times to See Virginia Rails
Virginia Rails begin arriving at their breeding grounds by April and stay through September. However, timing varies across North America based on latitude and elevation. As migrants, they pass through coastal areas and other stopover sites in April/May and again in September/October.
Peak times to observe Virginia Rails include:
- Late April/Early May – Breeding birds arrive and are most vocal while establishing territories
- June – Nesting season, birds may be seen carrying food for young
- July/August – Recently fledged young start appearing
- September – Migrants pass through coastal areas
This species is most active at dawn and dusk when foraging. But Virginia Rails may call and respond at any time of day during the breeding season. Patience is required to catch a glimpse of these secretive birds as they creep through dense marsh vegetation.
How to Find Virginia Rails
The two best ways to locate Virginia Rails are by listening for their calls and checking suitable habitat. Here are some tips:
Listen for calls
- Learn the most common Virginia Rail call, the loud “TICK-it” or “kicker” call
- Listen for calls near dawn or dusk when birds are most vocal
- Use call playback sparingly if needed to elicit a response
- Focus on wetlands with dense vegetation where rails are likely to respond
Search suitable habitat
- Look for freshwater and brackish marshes with wet mud and shallow water
- Check areas thick with emergent vegetation like cattails, rushes, or sedges
- Also try wet meadows, pond edges, ditches, and flooded fields
- Use levees, dikes, or raised paths to scan over the top of vegetation
Behavior and Identification Tips
Observing Virginia Rails often requires patience. They spend most of their time hidden in vegetation. However, being familiar with their behavior improves the odds of sighting one of these secretive marsh birds.
Walking and running
- Forage while walking slowly along muddy shorelines and through vegetation
- Freeze or crouch with neck stretched upward when alarmed
- May dart across open spaces when flushed or run through vegetation
Calling
- Give loud “TICK-it” call year-round to advertise territory and find mates
- Make soft grunts or pig-like squeals at low volume when foraging
- Respond rapidly to call playback but can be difficult to spot
Flight and posture
- Fly reluctantly and weakly for short distances when flushed
- Often land again in nearby cover rather than long flights
- Frequently bob tail upward at an angle while walking
Key identification features
- Slender profile with a long, slightly downward curved bill
- Reddish face and breast
- Brown back with black streaking
- Blue-gray belly with bold black and white barring
Observing a Virginia Rail often requires focus and determination. But catching a glimpse of one of these elusive marshes birds can make for a very rewarding birding experience.
Conclusion
For birders, Virginia Rails present an intriguing challenge. Tracking down one of these secretive marsh birds takes patience, preparation, and an understanding of their habitat and habits. Their vocalizations provide the best clues to detect Virginia Rails, especially during the breeding season. Searching suitable marshes and wetlands may also reward observers with a sighting when conditions are right. With persistence and skill, intrigued birders can find Virginia Rails at select wetland locations across North America.