Birds of Germany - Rails, Crakes, Gallinules, and Coots

Rails, Crakes, Gallinules, and Coots

Order: Gruiformes. Family: Rallidae

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers. There are 143 species worldwide and 9 species which occur in Germany.

• Water Rail Rallus aquaticus
• Corn Crake Crex crex
• Little Crake Porzana parva
• Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla
• Spotted Crake Porzana porzana
• Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio (A)
• Allen's Gallinule Porphyrio alleni (A)
• Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
• Eurasian Coot Fulica atra