Distinct features are a long bill with a slight downward curve, with adults being brown on the back and rusty-brown on the face and breast with a dark brown cap. They also have a white throat and a light belly with barred flanks. Undertail coverts are white and are displayed by the male during courtship.[2] Immature birds are covered in down,[3] with light brown on the head and darker brown on the back and wings.
This bird's call is a low repeated grunt transcribed as kek-kek-kek.[4]
This bird breeds in marshes in eastern North America. Birds along the southeastern coasts of the United States are permanent residents. Other birds migrate to the southern United States and Mexico; in Canada, they are found in southern Ontario. An adult king rail will molt completely after nesting and it becomes flightless for almost a month.[7]
The nest is a raised platform built with marsh vegetation and covered by a canopy. This is to hide the eggs of this bird from predators that are searching from above.[3]
The king rail interbreeds with the clapper rail (Rallus crepitans) where their ranges overlap; some researchers[who?] believe that these two birds belong to the same species.[citation needed]
A chick
The king rail lays a clutch of 6 to 14 pale buff eggs with brown spotting. They usually measure 41 by 30 millimetres (1.6 by 1.2 in). Both parents incubate the eggs for 21 to 23 days. When the eggs hatch, the young are covered in down and are able to leave the nest. They are not able to feed themselves, though, and thus must rely on their parents for food for up to six weeks after they hatch.[3]
Feedingedit
This rail forages in shallow water near cover and eats mainly aquatic insects and crustaceans. It forages by probing the mud while moving around in shallow water.[3]
The chicks are fed small arthropod prey by their parents. The prey is transferred from one parent's beak to that of the chick.[3]
Males often give food to whomever they pursue during courtship.[2][7]
Statusedit
These birds are still common in some coastal areas, although interior populations have declined due to habitat loss.[3] In Michigan, it is considered a legally protected state endangered species, at an imperiled level. [8]
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2016). "Rallus elegans". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T62155060A95190392. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T62155060A95190392.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
^ ab"King Rail". Guide to North American Birds. National Audubon Society. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
^ abcdefgHauber, Mark E. (1 August 2014). The Book of Eggs: A Life-Size Guide to the Eggs of Six Hundred of the World's Bird Species. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 61. ISBN978-0-226-05781-1.
^Garrido, Orlando H.; Kirkconnell, Arturo (2000). Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba. Ithaca, NY: Comstock, Cornell University Press. pp. 76–77. ISBN978-0-8014-8631-9.
^Godfrey, W. Earl (1966). The Birds of Canada. Ottawa: National Museum of Canada. p. 122.
king, rail, king, rail, rallus, elegans, waterbird, largest, north, american, rail, conservation, status, near, threatened, iucn, scientific, classification, domain, eukaryota, kingdom, animalia, phylum, chordata, class, aves, order, gruiformes, family, rallid. The king rail Rallus elegans is a waterbird the largest North American rail King rail Conservation status Near Threatened IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Gruiformes Family Rallidae Genus Rallus Species R elegans Binomial name Rallus elegansAudubon 1834 Breeding Year round Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Ecology 3 1 Breeding 3 2 Feeding 4 Status 5 References 6 External linksDescription edit nbsp At Huntley Meadows in Virginia Distinct features are a long bill with a slight downward curve with adults being brown on the back and rusty brown on the face and breast with a dark brown cap They also have a white throat and a light belly with barred flanks Undertail coverts are white and are displayed by the male during courtship 2 Immature birds are covered in down 3 with light brown on the head and darker brown on the back and wings This bird s call is a low repeated grunt transcribed as kek kek kek 4 Standard Measurements 5 6 length 15 5 19 in 390 480 mm weight 290 g 10 oz wingspan 19 in 480 mm wing 159 177 mm 6 3 7 0 in tail 56 72 5 mm 2 20 2 85 in culmen 58 65 5 mm 2 28 2 58 in tarsus 52 64 mm 2 0 2 5 in Distribution and habitat editThis bird breeds in marshes in eastern North America Birds along the southeastern coasts of the United States are permanent residents Other birds migrate to the southern United States and Mexico in Canada they are found in southern Ontario An adult king rail will molt completely after nesting and it becomes flightless for almost a month 7 Ecology editThis bird is diurnal contrasting with its smaller nocturnal relatives 3 Breeding edit The nest is a raised platform built with marsh vegetation and covered by a canopy This is to hide the eggs of this bird from predators that are searching from above 3 The king rail interbreeds with the clapper rail Rallus crepitans where their ranges overlap some researchers who believe that these two birds belong to the same species citation needed nbsp A chick The king rail lays a clutch of 6 to 14 pale buff eggs with brown spotting They usually measure 41 by 30 millimetres 1 6 by 1 2 in Both parents incubate the eggs for 21 to 23 days When the eggs hatch the young are covered in down and are able to leave the nest They are not able to feed themselves though and thus must rely on their parents for food for up to six weeks after they hatch 3 Feeding edit This rail forages in shallow water near cover and eats mainly aquatic insects and crustaceans It forages by probing the mud while moving around in shallow water 3 The chicks are fed small arthropod prey by their parents The prey is transferred from one parent s beak to that of the chick 3 Males often give food to whomever they pursue during courtship 2 7 Status editThese birds are still common in some coastal areas although interior populations have declined due to habitat loss 3 In Michigan it is considered a legally protected state endangered species at an imperiled level 8 References edit BirdLife International 2016 Rallus elegans IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T62155060A95190392 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T62155060A95190392 en Retrieved 11 November 2021 a b King Rail Guide to North American Birds National Audubon Society Retrieved 12 April 2023 a b c d e f g Hauber Mark E 1 August 2014 The Book of Eggs A Life Size Guide to the Eggs of Six Hundred of the World s Bird Species Chicago University of Chicago Press p 61 ISBN 978 0 226 05781 1 Garrido Orlando H Kirkconnell Arturo 2000 Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba Ithaca NY Comstock Cornell University Press pp 76 77 ISBN 978 0 8014 8631 9 Godfrey W Earl 1966 The Birds of Canada Ottawa National Museum of Canada p 122 Sibley David Allen 2000 The Sibley Guide to Birds New York Knopf p 153 ISBN 0 679 45122 6 a b King Rail All About Birds Cornell University 2023 Retrieved 19 April 2023 Rallus elegans King rail Michigan Natural Features Inventory mnfi anr msu edu Retrieved 2021 08 20 External links editBirdLife species factsheet for Rallus elegans Rallus elegans Avibase nbsp King rail media Internet Bird Collection King rail photo gallery at VIREO Drexel University King rail species account at Neotropical Birds Cornell Lab of Ornithology Interactive range map of Rallus elegans at IUCN Red List maps Audio recordings of King rail on Xeno canto Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title King rail amp oldid 1183939649, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
