While out and about this week on the reserve we have been hearing a noise you may not expect among the reeds, a high pitched pig squealing. This isn’t actually a very lost pig but the water rail, the odd looking bird pictured below. This squealing is actually part of their call and is called sharming. They are about 25cm long and are brown on top and a blue/grey underneath with a long reddish beak. They also have long thin legs and toes that are perfect for walking on floating plants. Fossils of water rails have been found from over 2 million years ago.
They feed mainly on insects such as worms and spiders although they are known to eat small birds and mammals which they strike to kill using their bill. In some cases they have been known to attack birds as big as a knot!
Water rails absolutely love reedbeds with tall dense vegetation like ours as they are a very secretive bird. While it’s not unusual to hear them, if you spot one you’re very lucky. While you wouldn’t think something blue could hide well among the reeds they are remarkably well camouflaged with streaks on their back which help them blend in. Their thin body also allows it to pass through the reeds with ease. If startled they will freeze and wait for the danger to pass.
While they look ungainly with their long legs dangling beneath them, they are actually strong fliers and can fly quite a distance.
They nest in the reeds using plants from around them and the nest is mostly built by the male in a single day. However, they have also been known to nest in some weird places including by roadsides and at RSPB Leighton Moss they nested in a wig wam which had been made for bearded tits to use! The young leave the nest very quickly within two days of them hatching, and are able to find some of their own food in under a week.
So if you’re having a walk round the reserve and have a listen out for the water rails distinctive call and you might just be able to spot one!
Other top sightings from this week
Long tailed tit, snipe, water vole, goldcrest, redwing, mistle thrush, fieldfare, sparrowhawk, green woodpecker, kingfisher, peregrine, curlew, starlings (estimates have been up to 100,000!), buzzard, Cettis warbler, meadow pipit, bearded tit, greater spotted woodpecker, water rail, marsh harrier, pied wagtail, chiffchaff, bullfinch, bittern.