Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 5.1–7.1 in
13–18 cm - Wingspan
- 11–12.6 in
28–32 cm - Weight
- 1.4–2.4 oz
41–68 g
Other Names
- Râle jaune (French)
- Gallineta amarilla (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The distinctive clicking calls of the Yellow Rail are given almost exclusively during the dark of the night.
Habitat
Marsh
Shallow marshes, and wet meadows; in winter, drier fresh-water and brackish marshes, as well as dense, deep grass, and rice fields.
Food
Insects
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 4–10 eggs
- Condition at Hatching
- Covered with black down, leave nest within one day. Fed by parents.
Nest Placement
Ground
Behavior
Probing
Conservation
Least Concern
Because of secretive nature, no information available on population trends. It is listed as "threatened" or "endangered" in some states and as "vulnerable" in Quebec.
Credits
- Bookhout, T. A. 1995. Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis). In The Birds of North America, No. 139 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, andThe American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C.