Higher classification Rallus | Phylum Chordata Family Rallidae Scientific name Rallus crepitans Rank Species | |
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Lower classifications Light-footed Clapper Rail, Yuma Clapper Rail | ||
California clapper rail calling
The clapper rail (Rallus crepitans) is a member of the rail family, Rallidae. The taxonomy for this species is confusing and still being determined. The Ridgway's rail and the mangrove rail have been recently split. Furthermore, some taxonomists consider that the king rail and Aztec rail should be considered within this group, as those birds look similar and the birds are known to interbreed where they share territories.
Contents
- California clapper rail calling
- Adult clapper rail calling
- Distribution and habitat
- Subspecies
- Description
- Feeding
- Breeding
- References
Adult clapper rail calling
Distribution and habitat
The clapper rail and its subspecies are found along the Atlantic Ocean coasts and several inland locales of the Americas.
The clapper rail is found along the Atlantic coasts of the U.S. East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, Eastern Mexico, and some Caribbean islands, and south through eastern Central America.
Populations are stable on the East Coast of the U.S., although the numbers of this bird have declined due to habitat loss.
Subspecies
Currently named subspecies of the clapper rail (Rallus crepitans) include:
Description
The clapper rail is a chicken-sized bird that rarely flies. It is grayish brown with a pale chestnut breast and a noticeable white patch under the tail. Its bill curves slightly downwards.
Feeding
These birds eat crustaceans, aquatic insects, and small fish. They search for food while walking, sometimes probing with their long bills, in shallow water or mud.
Breeding
The twig nest is placed low in mangrove roots, and 3-7 purple-spotted buff eggs are laid.