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King Rail

From Opus

Revision as of 05:15, 29 February 2008 by AlanManson-37216 (Talk | contribs)

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Rallus elegans

Photo by Skean

1 Identification
2 Distribution
3 Habitat
4 Taxonomy
5 Behaviour
- 5.1 Breeding
- 5.2 Diet
6 External Links

Identification

L. 14 in
Ws. 24 in

Adult

White undertail coverts
Red-brown face, neck, breast and wing coverts
White throat
Dark brown cap and hindneck
Brown back feathers with tawny edges
Whitish belly

Juvenile

Pale buff head and neck
Back and upperwings darker
White belly

Similar Species

Similar to Clapper Rail

Distribution

Eastern United States, eastern Mexico, and Cuba

Habitat

Freshwater marshes and marsh-shrub swamp habitats.

Taxonomy

King Rail and Clapper Rail are closely related and are sometimes considered conspecific (belonging to the same species). Three subspecies are recognized.

Behaviour

Breeding

They make nests of grass constructed just above the water in bushes or clumps of marsh vegetation. 6 to 13 buff-coloured eggs are laid. Both sexes share in incubation and rearing responsibilities.