Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, and rivers.

It has been evaluated as a threatened species since October 1, 2016, by the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss and pollution.

[1] By 2000, the estimated population of the blue-faced rail was in the low 2000's to the high 9000's, however it has steadily declined since then.

[1] It has a conspicuous patch of bare cobalt-blue skin around the eye[1] that gives the bird its distinctive name.

The blue-faced rail makes a snoring sound apparently similar to that of the snoring rail,[1] and it also gives off a quiet clucking sound in alarm.