WATER RAIL
This cracking bird is often heard but seldom seen. It is 230 to 260mm long with a bill that can be up to 112mm long. It has a laterally flattened body allowing it to slide between the reeds in which it lives. A pear-shaped bird (if I’m allowed to say that), with a long neck. The upper parts, from the forehead to the tail, are olive brown with black streaks, especially on the shoulders. The sides of the head, down to the under belly, are bluish or grey, but appear dark from a distance. They have black and white barred flanks and under the tail is white. The bill is red as are the irises, and the legs are pinky brown. The sexes are similar although the male is slightly larger. The call of the water rail is like a high-pitched squealing piglet.
The water rail can be found at Livadi all through the year, as it is resident here. If you spot it, it will be skulking through the reeds with exaggerated slow steps or racing nimbly over open mud. They are an omnivorous species (they eat both plants and animals), feeding on invertebrates during the summer and make their diet up with plant stems in the Winter if food is scarce.
The nest is built slightly above the water level (so at risk from flooding), with whatever plant material is available nearby. 2 clutches of eggs a year are laid, with up to 11 being laid each time. The eggs hatch after 3 weeks, with the hatchlings leaving the nest after a couple of days. They are fed by their parents for 2 to 3 weeks, before they become independent.
