Slaty-breasted Rail

The slaty-breasted rail is a medium-sized wetland rail 25–30 cm long and weighing about 100–142 g. It has a chestnut crown and nape, blue-grey face and breast, brown upperparts and a long reddish bill. Strong legs and long toes allow it to move through soft mud and dense vegetation. The richly chestnut rear crown contrasting with the cool grey breast is a useful field mark when this normally concealed bird emerges into view (Wikipedia, general species account).

It occurs from the Indian subcontinent through Southeast Asia, using marshes, wet grassland and other thickly vegetated wetlands, mostly below 1,000 metres but locally higher. Birds probe mud and shallow water for worms, molluscs and crustaceans and also eat seeds of marsh plants. Breeding timing varies geographically. Both sexes incubate a clutch of five to nine eggs for 19–22 days, and the downy chicks are mobile soon after hatching (Wikipedia, general species account).