At almost 15" in length, this is our largest rail. It is absent or rare from most of our area, but the saltwater subspecies (Light-footed, levipes) is locally common in several saltwater marshes along the California coastline, and the freshwater subspecies, (Yuma, yumanensis), is a locally common breeder at the Salton Sea and at Mittry Lake. It's a noisy bird, especially during the spring breeding season, when its grunting outbursts can be heard across the cordgrass and cattail marshes.

Family: Rails (Rallidae)
Genus & Species: Rallus longirostris
Identification:
 - Size: 14.5" length, 19" wingspan, 9 oz weight. Yumanensis is a small subspecies, standing 8" tall.
 - Male color and appearance: Orange-rufous on neck and breast; white and black barring on dark gray-brown flanks; black-spotted brown back; orange, slightly decurved spike-like bill.
 - Female ID: Like the male. Females are a bit smaller than males, averaging 8 to 7 oz. in weight.
 - Juvenile ID: Chicks are black for approximately one month. Fledglings are predominantely gray-brown in color with black-spotted brown back; brownish spike-like bill
 - Flight: Usually slow, weak and fluttering, with legs dangling below. However, when covering long distances it will fly more like a duck, with the "head, tail and legs held in a straight line and steady, rapid wing beats."
Feeding Behavior: Consumes invertebrates such as crustaceans, frogs, snails, and worms, and also seeds. During the winter Ridgway's Rails also eat bulrush and cattail seeds.
Similar Species: Virginia Rails can look similar at a glance, but are much smaller, approximately two thirds of their size. And if you can get a good look at it, the Virginia Rail also has a gray face.
Songs and Calls: Most common vocalization is a loud "Kek-Kek-Kek-Kek" call given repeatedly. They also make an even louder strident, grunting noise.
Status: Absent from most of our area due to habitat loss. These birds are locally common in specific marshes, but low overall numbers means that both subspecies are listed as endangered.
Habitat: The Light-footed Ridgway's Rail is usually associated with saltwater cordgrass marshes. The Yuma Ridgway's Rail is found in freshwater cattails, bulrushes, and sedges. Breeding is usually in April and May.
Breeding Range:
 - Southern CA: Levipes nests in scattered marshes along the coast of California. Yumanensis can be found in scattered marshes in the Imperial Valley and along the Colorado River.
 - AZ: Yumanensi is found in marshes along the Colorado River, the Gila River, and the Bill Williams River.
Wintering Range: Levipes rails along the coast are non-migratory, as are the yumanensis rails living along the Colorado River. Some of the smaller populations of yumanensis along the Gila River and in the Imperial Valley do appear to migrate.
Known breeding locations: The saltwater levipes subspecies is common at Tijuana NWR south of San Diego. The freshwater subspecies Yumanensis is locally common at the Salton Sea NWR, Mittry Lake, and the Bill Williams River (NWR) Delta.
Notes: Due to habitat destruction of 90-95% of southern California's coastal wetlands, the Light-footed Ridgway's Rails have been listed as endangered in California since 1970; the Yuma Ridgway's Rail has been listed as endangered by the U.S. government since 1967. Any sort of harrassment is against the law, and using playback to elicit songs or calls is considered harrassment. Please be patient, the birds will call spontaneously during the spring breeding season, especially at dawn and dusk.
Something to keep in mind--despite not having webbed feet, these birds are good swimmers! The motion is a bit jerky, since they use their legs for propulsion (as if they were walking underwater).