Water Rail Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)

The water rail is one of the hardest wetland birds to spot. This is not because they are rare, but because they are so elusive. Water rails are slimmer and smaller than their closest relatives, the coot and the moorhen.

Being roughly the same size as a redshank with a grey underbody,  a streaky brown back, black and white barring on its flanks, pale pink legs and a long red bill. With all these markings and colours, you’d think the water rail would be easy to spot.

However, the opposite is true because all of those markings and colourations work as the perfect camouflage within the plant stems and water reflections of its preferred habitat. To find out more about these interesting birds keep reading.

How Long Does A Water Rail Live?

The average lifespan of a water rail is around 5 to 8 years with some individual birds reaching the age of 9 years according to ring records. Their longevity is partly due to their almost perfect camouflage.

To date, the water rail is not considered threatened anywhere worldwide and are Green listed in the UK under Birds of Conservation Concern and classified as a bird of Least Concern by both the Species of European Conservation Concern (SECC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

How Fast Can A Water Rail Fly?

Water rails are not known for their fast or long distance flying. They are built more for fast running and hiding in thick vegetation rather than flying and if they do fly any sort of distance it is typically done under cover of darkness.

With that being said, they can reach speeds of somewhere between 20 to 30 mph (32 to 48 km/h). Which is similar to other members of the rail family.

Are Water Rails Aggressive?

In general terms, the water rail is not an aggressive bird. They prefer to avoid conflict wherever possible and remain secretive and elusive. However, they can display aggressive behaviour towards other water rails during the breeding season.

This aggression is directed towards any intruder that tries to enter their breeding and feeding territory, or any intruder that gets too close to their nest, eggs, chicks or mate. Both parents get involved in these aggressive altercations to ensure the safety of their offspring.

In most cases, these confrontational displays include raising their wings, fluffing their feathers and making loud calls in order to intimidate their rivals or intruders. But sometimes this behaviour can escalate into more physical actions.

These can include the use of both beaks and claws to deter any would-be intruders or rivals.

What Is A Water Rail’s Habitat?

Water rails prefer wetlands, reed beds, marshlands as well as ponds in many places around the UK and Ireland. During winter months and periods of freezing conditions they can often be found on tidal marshes.

They prefer to be at the muddy edges of their habitats searching for food. Water rails have a wide distribution around the UK with a strong presence in most of England, Wales and Ireland and a few colonies in Scotland.

There are around 4,000 breeding pairs of water rails in the UK with that number swelling exponentially during winter when European water rails fly to the warmer UK climes to escape the colder weather in Northern Europe.

How Long Does It Take For A Water Rail To Build A Nest?

Both the male and the female water rail are involved in the nest building process. They work together and get the nest made in around 5 to 7 days. This is crucial for the successful breeding of these birds in their wetland environments.

However, if there are sufficient nest building materials available, they can often get the actual nest completed in a single day.

They select a site typically in dense vegetation which is well hidden to protect against predators and other intruders. The nest itself is constructed from local plant materials including grasses, reeds and other vegetation.

The base is often a platform of leaves and stems which is typically lined with finer soft materials to create a comfortable and safe environment for the eggs and chicks. The shape of the nest is often cup-shaped and is often built on the ground or in a slightly elevated site above water level.

Eggs

Once the nest has been successfully constructed to the satisfaction of both mates, the pair will move onto the next phase in the reproductive process, the eggs.

When Do Water Rails Lay Eggs?

Water rails have a fairly long breeding season which starts in late March and runs through until late June. Depending on weather conditions and temperature it is possible for water rails to lay and raise two broods each season.

How Many Eggs Does A Water Rail Lay?

The size of the clutch can vary and is typically smaller early in the breeding season and later in the season. A typical clutch size is around 6 to 11 eggs.

What Do Water Rail Eggs Look Like?

Water rail eggs are around 36 x 26 mm in size and weigh around 13 grams. They are oval shaped, smooth and slightly glossy and the colour varies from off-white to a pinkish-buff with reddish-brown spots or blotches.

How Long Do Water Rail Eggs Take To Hatch?

Both parents incubate the eggs although it’s the female that has the most involvement with the incubation spending far more time on the eggs than her partner.

The eggs typically hatch after around 19 to 22 days of incubation which starts once the last egg has been laid.

Chicks

The next stage of development in the lifespan of the water rail is the chicks. Let’s take a look at the chicks and find out how many chicks water rails have, when the chicks open their eyes and when they fledge the nest.

How Many Chicks Does A Water Rail Have?

The number of chicks that are produced in each brood is dependent on a number of factors which include weather conditions, temperature, predation, disease and the availability of food. From an average clutch the pair can expect to raise around 80% to the fledgling stage.

This means  from an average clutch of 10 eggs, the survival rate should be around 8 chicks.

When Do Water Rail Chicks Open Their Eyes?

Water rail chicks are precocial which means they are hatched with their eyes open and are also covered in fine down. The young chicks can typically leave the nest after around 1 to 2 days and start finding some of their own food when they are around 5 days old.

They typically rely on their parents to supplement their diet for the first 4 to 5 weeks of their life. After this time, they typically feed themselves.

When Do Water Rail Chicks Fledge?

Water rail chicks typically start to fly (fledge) at around 7 to 9 weeks of age. The average annual survival rate for water rail chicks after fledging is around 50% per year.

Which means that for the first 3 years of their lives, water rail chicks are under threat from predators and other factors. If they manage to survive to their third birthday, they tend to continue to flourish and often reach the age of 5 or more.

SEE ALSO: Sedge Warbler Vs Reed Warbler: Key Differences Explained

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