Rectal bleeding usually describes any bleeding that passes from the anus. In most cases, it is assumed that rectal bleeding refers to blood from the lower colon or the rectum, which is the bottom part of the large intestine.
Oftentimes, blood from rectal bleeding is a bright red color, but sometimes it is a darker maroon. It may appear as blood in the stool, or it may show up on toilet paper or in the toilet bowl.