Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze Laboratorio Virtual Ibercaja
147 Water Rail
AGEING
3 types of age can be recognized:
Juvenile with white/buff breast; pale brown iris; pale brown bill.
1st year autumn/2nd year spring similar to adults but with prominent buff or off-white streak running from base or upper mandible to upper part of eye; white chin; iris fawn to bright orange brown; juvenile flight feathers retained. Adult with breast and chin slate grey; reddish iris.
Water Rail. Spring. Adult (06-VI).
WATER RAIL (Rallus aquaticus) IDENTIFICATION
25-28 cm. Brown reddish upperparts, with dark streaks; grey slate chin and breast; grey belly streaked white; white undertail coverts; long and reddish bill. Juveniles paler; pale supercilium; whitish underparts; pale brown
Water Rail. A g e i n g . Pattern of head and streak on the eye: top adult; ;middle 1st year; bottom juvenile.
Water Rail. Pattern of breast and upperparts.
SIMILAR SPECIES
Long and red bill makes this species unmistakable.
SEXING
Plumage of both sexes alike. Size can be an useful character in most of the specimens: male with wing longer than 122 mm; tarsus longer than 42 mm. Female with wing shorter than 120 mm; tarsus shorter than 40 mm. Most of the juveniles can be sexed using size differences.
W a t e r R a i l . A g e i n g . Pattern of chin: left adult; right 2nd year.
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Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze Laboratorio Virtual Ibercaja
147 Water Rail
MOULT
Complete postbreeding moult, usually finished in November. Partial postjuvenile moult confined only to body feathers; often finished between July and October depending of fledging date. Both types of age have a prebreeding moult confined to body.
PHENOLOGY
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VII
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VIII
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IX
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XI
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XII
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STATUS EN ARAGON
Resident, distributed in Gallocanta, Canal de Berdun and rivers Ebro, Jalon and Piedra.
Water Rail. Spring. Young (14-VII)
Water Rail. Spring. Head pattern and iris colour. From top to b o t t o m :
adult (06- VI); 2nd year ( 1 4 - V ) ;
Water Rail. Spring. 2nd year (14-V) juvenile (14-
VII); young
Water Rail. Spring. Juvenile (14-VII)
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Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze Laboratorio Virtual Ibercaja
147 Water Rail
Water Rail. S p r i n g . B r e a s t pattern: top adult (06- VI); middle 2nd year (14- V); bottom juvenile (14- VII).
Water Rail. Spring. Chin pattern: left juvenile (14- VII); right young (14-VII).
Water Rail. S p r i n g . Pattern of legs. From t o p t o b o t t o m :
adult (06- VI); 2nd year ( 1 4 - V ) ; juvenile (14- VII); young (14-VII).
Water Rail. Spring. Chin pattern: left adult (06-VI); right 2nd year (14-V).
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Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze Laboratorio Virtual Ibercaja
147 Water Rail
Water Rail. Spring. Flank pattern: top adult (06- VI); middle 2nd year (14- V); bottom juvenile (14- VII).
Water Rail. Spring. Upperpart pattern: top left adult (06-VI); top right 2nd year (14-V); left juvenile (14-VII).
Water Rail. Spring. Tail pattern: top left adult (06-VI); top right 2nd year (14-V); left juvenile (14-VII).
Water Rail. Spring. Pattern of undertail coverts: top left adult (06-VI); top right 2nd year (14-V); left juvenile (14-VII).
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Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze Laboratorio Virtual Ibercaja
147 Water Rail
Water Rail. Spring. Adult: pattern of primaries (06- VI).
Water Rail. Spring. Juvenile: pattern of primaries (14- VII).
Water Rail. Spring. Adult: pattern of secondaries (06-
Water Rail. Spring. 2nd year: pattern of primaries (14-V).
Water Rail. Spring. 2nd year: pattern of secondaries (14-V).
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