Visitors to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s wetland reserves have been treated recently to glimpses of a bird rarely seen – the elusive water rail. It’s the best time of year to spot them as there is less ground cover for them to hide in, they are more abundant in number and the margins of lakes and ponds are more open giving better views onto muddy banks and movement of water.

A small relative of the moorhen and coot and about the same size as a redshank, the water rail lives in reedbeds and freshwater wetlands where it feeds on wetland bugs and small fish.

Although water rails are relatively easier to find in winter, they are in fact so secretive that they are very rarely seen. Water rails are not often seen in flight either as they prefer to move between breeding and feeding grounds under the cover of darkness. There are around 1,100 breeding pairs in the UK, largely in the eastern region of the country.

Similar to the booming bittern which skulks the reedbeds, water rails are more often heard calling; from grunts and groans, to 'purring' and 'piglet squealing' noises, they are unmistakeable when heard and have startled more than the odd wildlife watcher when heard unexpectedly. 

In recent weeks, water rails have been spotted at Adel Dam near Leeds, North Cave Wetlands near Hull and Staveley nature reserve near Ripon. Wetlands are a lifeline for rare and vulnerable species in Yorkshire, providing irreplaceable habitat to help our wildlife survive. Wetland reserves are the Trust’s most challenging reserves to manage, as water levels need to be adjusted, lake margins maintained and specialist equipment and support is needed to maintain their vital habitat for some of Yorkshire’s most important wildlife species. 

However, they are some of our most rewarding reserves with hard work by volunteers and staff restoring reedbeds, planting plugs, rebuilding seasonal water hollows and banks and monitoring water levels all contributing to the return of rarely seen species like the water rail. 

Wetland reserves with a huge wealth of wildlife, from Adel Dam’s infamous kingfisher to North Cave Wetlands’ waders and Staveley’s winter bird flocks, they are well-worth a visit for a walk in peaceful surroundings, some fresh air and a chance to spot the elusive water rail.

Help us care for wetland wildlife like water rail.