King Rail

38-41 cm (15-16") Fairly common. Eastern North America. Freshwater marshes, roadside ditches.

Secretive crow-sized bird with a long slightly downcurved bill. Dark gray head; buffy eyebrow; brown or grayish cheeks; rusty neck, underparts, and wing coverts; sides strongly barred black and white.

Twice the size of similar Virginia Rail. Similar Clapper Rail is duller and prefers salt marshes.

Song: series of "kek kek kek" notes; low grunting.

Videos

Images

Credit: Carol Foil

Credit: Jerry Oldenettel

Credit: Jerry Oldenettel

Credit: Andrea Westmoreland

Distribution Maps

King Rail winter distribution map

King Rail distribution map