Habitat
Permanent and temporary swamps and marshes often at the edge of lakes, pools, rivers and streams, seasonally wet sugar-cane plantations and paddy-fields adjacent to natural marshes. For breeding, seasonally inundated grasslands and sedge meadows with robust sedges and grasses about 50 cm or more in height.
Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania [United Republic of], Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Vagrant to Sâo Tomé e Principe, Sierra Leone.
Sub-Saharan Africa, principally from Ethiopia to eastern Zaire and Kenya and south to Cape of Good Hope. Status uncertain in western Africa; occurrence in north-eastern Central African Republic and coastal Kenya requires confirmation.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
African Rail (Rallus caerulescens) [XC647192]
by Hans Matheve from Ekurhuleni (near Nigel), Sedibeng, Gauteng, South Africa (duet)
African Rail (Rallus caerulescens) [XC645119]
by Nature sounds by Simply Birding from City of Matlosana (near Potchefstroom), Southern DC, North West, South Africa (call, dog barking, water running, wind noise)
Nest
A shallow cup of plant matter well concealed in aquatic vegetation, usually over water.