A secretive rail that breeds in wetlands in Britain and Ireland. Birds arriving from continental Europe add to the winter population.
It has a long red bill, brown and black upperparts, a grey face and underside, and black-and-white barred flanks.
It hides among dense wetland vegetation and is often heard before it is seen. It is easier to find in winter than during the breeding season.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.