Secretive, though not easily spooked, the Buff-Banded Rail is medium-sized bird relatively common on East Coast Australia, as well as Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands.
We spotted this one in dense reeds on the bank of Parramatta River at Sydney Olympic Park.
When we spotted this girl, Brad was pretty sure there was a chick as well. But at a call from the mother, it disappeared deep into a tunnel of reeds before we could be certain.
We have read that this Rail is a slow walker, but Amanda has certainly seen them move fairly quickly across the various bicycle paths that we are lucky enough to have along the River and throughout Olympic Park.
These Rails are pretty much omnivorous, favouring crustaceans, molluscs, and insects, but reportedly will take seeds, fruit, frogs, carrion and even pick through refuse.
Bramandagram 