Rails

Birds of North America

Rallidae

Lives, Habitats & Pictures of the Rails

There are five species of rails found in North America. Two of these species are found in Canada and the United States, these being the Virginia Rail and the Yellow Rail. The remaining three types of rails are the King Rail, Clapper Rail and the Black Rail. The King Rail lives mostly along the south-eastern and eastern coastlines of the United States. This is the largest bird in the rail family. The Clapper Rail lives in the same habitat and regions as the King Rail and can also be found along the coastlines of Mexico. The Black Rail is the smallest member of the rail family, this sparrow size bird also prefers a habitat along the coastline in the same regions as the other rails.

Rails are most often heard, and hardly ever seen. These secretive birds prefer dense marsh, usually submerged in water covering an expanse of land, making access into their regions very difficult. Only during the time of raising their young, there maybe a possibility of seeing these birds, as they move about in search of food. Rails become active in the evening and feed into the darkness, and even when they migrate, they will use the cover of darkness.

Return Rails back to Marsh Birds

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Classic Collection of North American Birds

CCNAB