 The water rail breeds in reed beds and other marshy sites with tall , dense vegetation , building its nest a little above the water level from whatever plants are available nearby . The off @-@ white , blotched eggs are incubated mainly by the female , and the precocial downy chicks hatch in 19 – 22 days . The female will defend her eggs and brood against intruders , or move them to another location if they are discovered . This species can breed after its first year , and it normally raises two clutches in each season . Water rails are omnivorous , feeding mainly on invertebrates during summer and berries or plant stems towards winter . They are territorial even after breeding , and will aggressively defend feeding areas in winter . 
