Black Rail Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesBlack Rail
Adult
Tiny, short-tailed rail. Head is gray with a red eye and black bill. Upper back is rusty and the rest of the back has white speckling. Very secretive.
© Héctor Bottai / Macaulay LibraryMaranhão, November 05, 2020Adult
Tiny and very secretive—most often detected by voice, a squeaky kee-kee-krrr.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryJune 01, 2002Not all videos have sound
Adult (Southern South America)
© Jaime Mancilla / Macaulay LibraryRegión Metropolitana de Santiago, June 09, 2019Adult (Junin)
Tiny, very difficult to see rail. Occurs in tidal marshes and freshwater wetlands in North and South America. Subspecies in Junin, Peru is heavily barred above.
© Ben Sanders / Macaulay LibraryJunín, May 17, 2019Adult (Southern South America)
Tiny rail of freshwater marshes and tidal wetlands in North and South America.
© Alexander Lees / Macaulay LibraryPará, February 23, 2013Similar SpeciesSora
Adult
Larger than a Black Rail with a larger yellow bill. Browner overall than a Black Rail.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 04, 2016Similar SpeciesSora
Juvenile
Larger than a Black Rail with a larger yellow bill. Browner overall than a Black Rail.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, July 17, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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