The Aldabra rail is the last surviving flightless bird in the western Indian Ocean. It has a slender build, with a long, fairly slender neck, legs and feet. The plumage is well-defined, being largely bright chestnut except for the striking white throat. The fairly long, straight bill is dark with, in females, a bright pink base, and in males, a dull or dark red base. Juveniles generally have duller plumage than adults. Being a flightless bird, the wings are short and are often held close to the body where they blend in with the rest of the plumage. Many consider the Aldabra rail a subspecies of the white-throated rail (Dryolimnas cuvieri).