General Description: Virginia Rails (Rallus limicola) are small, shorebird-like birds with a rusty body, a patch of chestnut on the wings, gray cheeks, black-barred flanks, and a long, reddish bill. In adults, the breast is rusty; in juveniles, the breast is dark and mottled with black.

Taxonomy: Gruiformes, Rallidae, Rallinae.

Favored Habitat: Edges of shallow ponds; marshes.

Where to Find: The Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. For more natural settings, visit the Pahranagat Valley or the Overton Wildlife Management Area.

Comments: Rails feed in shallow water on aquatic bugs.