Black Rail Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Song (Northern)
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CaliforniaRecorded by Bob McGuire / Macaulay Library
Song (Northern)
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New JerseyRecorded by Tom Johnson / Macaulay Library
Calls (Northern)
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CaliforniaRecorded by Andrew Spencer / Macaulay Library
Calls (Northern)
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ColoradoRecorded by Andrew Spencer
Song (Southern South America)
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Región Metropolitana de Santiago, December 20, 2008Recorded by Nathan Senner / Macaulay Library
Calls (Junin)
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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.