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So the new title is... is it a clapper or a king rail? (1 Viewer)

IDidiot

IDidiot

Well-known member
United States
At first I hoped it was a limpkin...

If this is a limpkin, it is rather exciting, but a little of a bummer, too. I live on a canal and people are moving here in droves because they can now work at home. I've been hearing calls that I thought were limpkin coming from an undeveloped lot on the canal. If this is a limpkin, then there are at least 5 of them on this lot. They are a threatened species and this lot will likely be cleared for building in the next few years.
 

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Yes, I see that now...
A clapper rail, then? It was in salt, rather than fresh water.
Interesting... I listened to it, and it is not what I'm hearing from that lot on the canal. So there's still hope of limpkins. :)
 
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Clapper Rail, too much gray to be a King Rail and by extension, the habitat separates the two resident rails in Florida. Freshwater for King, and Brackish/Saltwater for Clapper.

Still an amazing shot! One of my few views of Clapper Rail was like that and I was so surprised thinking it was an odd Grebe that when I aimed my camera, it had already disappeared!
 
lgonz1008 said:
Clapper Rail, too much gray to be a King Rail and by extension, the habitat separates the two resident rails in Florida. Freshwater for King, and Brackish/Saltwater for Clapper.

Still an amazing shot! One of my few views of Clapper Rail was like that and I was so surprised thinking it was an odd Grebe that when I aimed my camera, it had already disappeared!
Click to expand...
I was reading up on them, and king and clappers are hybridizing. It is a toughy as the spot where I oh, so briefly saw it (I was able to get the pic because I was taking a pic of a tri-colored heron, saw it, clicked off two quick pics, and he was gone.) The spot though is interesting. It is in a saltwater canal, but that spot has a very large spring that puts out tons of water per minute. (The manatees love it there.)

And the spot was insane today! An osprey, a tri-colored heron, a green heron, two yellow-crowned night herons, a great blue heron, and this rail within less than 50 yards of each other (46 meters). It's sad I can't share it as a hot spot, but the canal is within a private area. There's no way to walk there... so it is only accessible by boat. The nearest launch is over 5 miles away.

So I'm still having trouble whether to eBird this as a clapper or a king.
 
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