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Black Rail

Laterallus jamaicensisOrder: GRUIFORMES Family: Rails and Coots (Rallidae)
Codes: Common Name: BLRA Scientific Name: LATJAM ITIS Taxonomic No.: 176263
Near Threatened
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Black Rail
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Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips
Jelly Jar Jelly Feeder
The orange "blossum" replaces the lid of a jelly jar.
Attract Orioles with Fruit
Sliced orange secures easily to the center of the ring. Low cost.
Attract with Nectar
Hex shaped nectar feeds several Orioles. Nectar kept in fridge.
Charm and Attraction
Lovely copper umbrella keeps fruit cool and looks great.

Overview

Black Rail: Smallest North American rail, mostly dark gray or nearly black with white-speckled back, belly, flanks. Nape and upper back are chestnut-brown. Eyes are red. Eats seeds of aquatic plants, grasses and grains, insects and small marine crustaceans. Weak fluttering flight with legs dangling.


Range and Habitat

Black Rail: Nests on marshes and open grasslands from southern New England to the Gulf coast states. Spends winters from the southern Atlantic coast states south to Central America. Preferred habitats include marshes, swamps, and wet meadows.

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Topo Map: Chicken-like-Marsh Body


Listen to Call

Voice Text

"kic-kee-doo", "kic-kic-kerr"

Interesting Facts

 The Black Rail is extinct or threatened in many locations due to habitat loss. The largest populations in North America are in Florida and California.

 Measuring only about the size of a sparrow, they are the smallest North American rail.

 The name rail is derived from the Latin verb "raelare," which means "to scrape" and is a good description of one of the bird's vocalizations.

 A group of rails are collectively known as a "hill" and a "rumor" of rails.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Yury Lisyak

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Range Map for Black Rail

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Family Rail (Rallidae)_blue
Species Laterallus jamaicensis
Length6 Inches
Wingspan10.5 - 11.5 Inches

Black Rail

Black Rail: Smallest North American rail, mostly dark gray or nearly black with white-speckled back, belly, flanks. Nape and upper back are chestnut-brown. Eyes are red. Eats seeds of aquatic plants, grasses and grains, insects and small marine crustaceans. Weak fluttering flight with legs dangling.

● Song: "kic-kee-doo", "kic-kic-kerr"

● Foraging & Feeding: Black Rail: Feeds on seeds of aquatic plants, grass, insects, and isopods (small crustaceans).

● Breeding & nesting: Black Rail: Four to thirteen brown-spotted, pale pink to white eggs are laid in a deep cup of finely woven soft grass, sedges, or other available vegetation. Nest is usually concealed in a clump of green grass, with grass arched over so it is hidden. Both parents incubate the eggs for about 28 days. Sometimes produces two broods per year.

● Similar species: Black Rail: Resembles chick of other rails, which lack white spots on upperparts and bars on flanks.

Flight Pattern

Weak fluttering floppy flight with legs dangling.
Black Rail Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Black Rail: Nests on marshes and open grasslands from southern New England to the Gulf coast states. Spends winters from the southern Atlantic coast states south to Central America. Preferred habitats include marshes, swamps, and wet meadows.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationUncommon to rare
MigrationMost migrate
Weight1.2 Ounces
Chicken-like-Marsh BodyX
BellyX
The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.
NapeX
Also called the hindneck or collar, it is the back of the neck where the head joins the body.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX