普通秧鸡（学名：Rallus aquaticus）为秧鸡科秧鸡属的鸟类。该物种的模式产地在英格兰。在中国东北、河北或西北一带繁殖，迁福建、广东一带越冬。

小型涉禽，体长30厘米以上。头小，躯干削瘦，喙、颈、跗跖和前三趾都长；上体羽毛暗灰褐色，带有黑色斑纹，头部斑纹非常显着；两翼表面大半灰褐色；下体褐色，两胁更具有白斑；肛周围和尾下覆羽黑白相间，羽尖白色。

The water rail (Rallus aquaticus) is a bird of the rail family which breeds in well-vegetated wetlands across Europe, Asia and North Africa. Northern and eastern populations are migratory, but this species is a permanent resident in the warmer parts of its breeding range. The adult is 23–28 cm (9–11 in) long, and, like other rails, has a body that is flattened laterally, allowing it easier passage through the reed beds it inhabits. It has mainly brown upperparts and blue-grey underparts, black barring on the flanks, long toes, a short tail and a long reddish bill. Immature birds are generally similar in appearance to the adults, but the blue-grey in the plumage is replaced by buff. The downy chicks are black, as with all rails. The brown-cheeked rail, R. indicus, has distinctive markings and a call that is very different from the pig-like squeal of the western races, and is now usually split as a separate species.