Secretive, very large rail (approaching Australasian Swamphen in size), only likely to be seen in and near mangroves, foraging in the mud along tidal creeks and estuaries in northern Australia.
Not listed
Endemic to Australia
Indigenous: Chestnut-Bellied Rail
At a glance
FamilyRails, Gallinules, and Coots
SizeMedium
RarityUncommon
Habitatopen woodland, sparse woodland, closed forest, grassland, and waterbodies
Best timeMost reliable in Northern Territory from July to October.
Range map
Range map
143visible hotspots
2215visible records
3states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Olive brown above, chestnut below, with gray head, chalky yellow bill, and yellow legs.
Behavior
Calls loudly, with grunts and wild honking squawks.
Gallery
Regional timing
Northern Territory
Western Australia
Queensland
New South Wales
Commonly confused with
Pale-vented Bush-henAmaurornis moluccanaRarely seen away from cover. Dull gray-blue body, brown wings and tail, with reddish-brown undertail, yellow-green bill with small shield, and long yellow legs.→Buff-banded RailGallirallus philippensisReddish head with strong pale eyebrow. Makes a loud squeaking call. On small islands (e.g. Green Island, Lord Howe Island, Lady Elliot Island) it is extremely tame and abundant.→