sanguinolentus Pardirallus is a genus of bird in the family Rallidae.

It contains three species native to marshland areas of Southern, Central America and the Caribbean, although fossil evidence indicates they once ranged north to what is now Idaho.

The spotted rail is blackish-brown with white markings while the other two are brown above and dark grey below.

[3][4] The generic name combines the Ancient Greek pardos meaning "leopard" with the genus Rallus.

It was formerly assigned to the genus Porzana upon its description in 1958 by Pierce Brodkorb and later to the genus Rallus in 1968 by Alan Feduccia, but an analysis by Storrs L. Olson in 1977 transferred it to Pardirallus.