King Rail Identification

Adult

Large, slender rail with a short tail and long bill. Upperparts are mottled brown and rusty. Flanks are barred white. Neck and breast are rusty.

Adult

Large and slender with a long neck and bill. Neck and chest are rusty. Flanks are barred dark and white.

Adult with juveniles

King Rail chicks follow their parents for several weeks learning how to forage. By the time they are 4-6 weeks old they obtain about half of their food and by about 7-9 weeks find all of their own food.

Adult

Adult

Note white barring on flanks and overall warm rusty tones.

Adult with juveniles

Call is a staccato series of harsh, throaty notes, more crisply delivered than Clapper Rail.

Adult

Occurs in tidal brackish and nontidal freshwater marshes including rice fields. Tail often held up.

Adult

Typically forages in densely vegetated freshwater wetlands where it can be difficult to see. Forages more frequently at dawn and dusk.

Adult

Forages for small aquatic crustaceans, fish, amphibians, insects, and seeds by probing bill into the water and mud.