A large rail of North American wetlands, it has a chestnut back, gray face, and black-and-white bars on its flanks. It walks through reeds and grasses to find food.
The back and wings are chestnut, the face and breast are gray, and the flanks are barred black and white. It has a long bill and legs.
In fresh or brackish marshes, it walks through reeds and grasses to catch crabs, crayfish, frogs, and other prey. It undergoes a complete molt after nesting.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.