 Predators of the water rail include a number of mammals and large birds . The American mink was partly responsible for the extinction of the Icelandic population , and cats and dogs have also been recorded as killing this species . At least locally , otters will also eat rails and other water birds . The Eurasian bittern , another reed bed bird , will consume rails , as will grey herons . Water rails are particularly vulnerable to the heron when forced out of the cover of the reeds by very high tides . Wetland @-@ hunting harriers are predictable predators , but more unusually , the rail has also been recorded as a prey item of the tawny owl , short @-@ eared owl , Eurasian eagle @-@ owl , greater spotted eagle , common kestrel , and night @-@ hunting peregrine falcons . 
