Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Endangered

Cranes & Rails

Black Rail

Laterallus jamaicensis

Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) — Cranes & Rails of North America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 17 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Brazil Birds of Canada Birds of Colombia Birds of Mexico Birds of Peru Birds of the United States Birds of Nova Scotia Birds of Ontario Birds of Alabama Birds of Arkansas

By family

Rails, Crakes & Coots of Brazil Rails, Crakes & Coots of Canada Rails, Crakes & Coots of Colombia Rails, Crakes & Coots of Mexico Rails, Crakes & Coots of Peru Rails, Crakes & Coots of the United States Rails, Crakes & Coots of Nova Scotia

See what's near you right now

The Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) is a member of the Rallidae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 32.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Endangered.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

EN Endangered

Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Gruiformes
Family Rallidae Rails, Crakes & Coots
Genus Laterallus
Species jamaicensis

Where it lives

Greater Antilles to western SA

Quick facts

Weight: 32.6 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Rallidae
Order: Gruiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Yellow-breasted Crake

Laterallus flaviventer

Least Concern

Swinhoe’s Rail

Coturnicops exquisitus

Vulnerable

Galapagos Crake

Laterallus spilonota

Least Concern

Grey-breasted Crake

Laterallus exilis

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Black Rail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Black Rail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) is a member of the Rallidae family, within the order Gruiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA USA, Greater Antilles to w SA.

It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 32.6 g, with a wing length of about 6.7 cm and a tail of around 3 cm.

It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 926,000 km².

Songs & calls

Black Rail — Call

Recorded by José Dellacasa Bravo Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Black Rail?

The Black Rail is a small bird that weighs around 32.6 g.

Where does the Black Rail live?

The Black Rail is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA USA, Greater Antilles to w SA, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Black Rail belong to?

The Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) belongs to the Rallidae family, in the order Gruiformes.

What does the Black Rail eat?

The Black Rail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Black Rail migrate?

The Black Rail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Black Rail endangered?

It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

What sound does the Black Rail make?

1 real field recording of the Black Rail — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Black Rail's range?

The Black Rail has a mapped global range of about 926,000 km².