Black Rail Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Song (Northern)
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
California, March 01, 2010Recorded by Bob McGuire / Macaulay Library
Song (Northern)
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
New Jersey, June 27, 2016Recorded by Tom Johnson / Macaulay Library
Calls (Northern)
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
CaliforniaRecorded by Andrew Spencer / Macaulay Library
Calls (Northern)
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
Colorado, May 04, 2012Recorded by Andrew Spencer
Song (Southern South America)
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
Región Metropolitana de Santiago, December 20, 2008Recorded by Nathan Senner / Macaulay Library
Calls (Junin)
Media Player Error
Update your browser or Flash plugin
Junín, June 04, 2015Recorded by Ross Gallardy / Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Songs

Males usually sing a rolling, froglike kick-ee-kerr (with the last note lower in pitch). Some males add 1–2 short notes at the beginning.

Calls

The most frequently heard call is a low, growling kerrrr-kerrrr-kerrrr from agitated birds defending the nest or territory. Females disturbed at the nest give a high-pitched series of nasal ink calls; males tend to give kik calls in the same circumstances. Females may also give a Least Bittern-like coo-coo-coo and a harsh kik-kik-krrrr. Males (and possibly females) give a strange raspy hiss when a predator is near the nest. A barking churt probably serves as a contact call for both sexes.