The red-winged wood rail is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae. It is found in Brazil, Ecuador and Peru.
Region
Western Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily in lowland Amazonia of Brazil (western Amazon), eastern Ecuador, and northeastern Peru, primarily along large rivers and their floodplains. It favors seasonally flooded várzea and igapó forests with dense understory and tangled root mats. Birds use river edges, oxbow lakes, floating vegetation, and swampy backwaters, often close to quiet channels. The species is generally local and elusive, keeping to shaded, humid microhabitats with abundant cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Red-winged Wood Rail is a shy, ground-dwelling rail of the western Amazon, more often heard than seen. It frequents seasonally flooded forests where dense understory and fallen logs provide cover. Pairs often duet at dawn and dusk, giving resonant calls that carry through riverine forest. Habitat loss in floodplain forests may affect local populations.
Temperament
secretive and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; reluctant flier
Social Behavior
Typically found singly or in pairs, maintaining territories along quiet waterways and flooded forest edges. Nests are placed low, usually in dense vegetation or over water, where several eggs are laid and both parents attend. Pairs often engage in antiphonal duets to advertise territory and maintain pair bonds.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are loud, resonant duets of clattering notes, gruffs, and rising whistles, often delivered at dawn and dusk. Calls carry well through dense forest and are the primary way the species is detected.
Plumage
Overall olive-brown to dark brown upperparts with a contrasting grayish head and neck. Wings show a conspicuous rufous to reddish panel on the secondaries and coverts, giving the species its name. Underparts are dusky with warmer rufous tones on the flanks; tail is dark and short. Plumage is sleek and smooth, adapted for moving through dense vegetation.
Diet
An opportunistic omnivore that takes insects, snails, crustaceans, and small aquatic invertebrates along with seeds and fallen fruits. It probes leaf litter, mud, and wet margins with its bill and picks prey from floating vegetation. Small amphibians or fish may be taken when available. Foraging is typically deliberate and quiet, using cover to remain concealed.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along riverbanks, oxbow lake margins, and within flooded forest understory, especially where driftwood and root tangles trap organic matter. It also uses wet leaf litter and shallow pools inside várzea and igapó forest.
