King Rail

(Rallus elegans)

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List

NT - Near Threatened

NatureServe

N4B, N4N - Apparently Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding

S1B, SNRM - Critically Imperiled Breeding and Unranked Migrant

Minnesota

Endangered

Species in Greatest Conservation Need

 
 
Description

The flanks are strongly barred black and white. The underparts are reddish-brown (rufous). The bill is long and slightly curved downward.

 

Size

15½ to 19 in length

19 wingspan

 

Voice

A low grunt repeated ten or fewer times: kek-kek-kek-kek-kek-kek-kek-kek

 

Similar Species

 
Habitat

Marshes, marshy shorelines, shrubby swamps, rice fields and other flooded fields

Ecology

Migration

Late April to late September

 

Nesting

 

 

Food

 

Distribution

Occurrence

Former breeder, occasional migrant

 

Maps

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

Taxonomy

Class

Aves (birds)

Order

Gruiformes (cranes, rails, and allies)

Family

Rallidae (rails, gallinules, and coots)

Genus

Rallus (greater rails)

   

Subordinate Taxa

Cuban King Rail (Rallus elegans ramsdeni)

Northern King Rail (Rallus elegans elegans)

   

Synonyms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Slideshows

King Rail
Marcello Gomes

King Rail

King Rail
JMC Nature Photos

King Rail

King Rail
J Scott Ryder

KING RAIL

King Rails
Robert Gundy

King Rails

 

slideshow

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Other Videos

King Rail calling. Laguna Atascosa NWR
tavovalero

About

Published on Apr 19, 2015

Recorded at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. Los Fresnos Texas. 2015-04-12

Rallus elegans
Rascón Real, rascón elegante, gallinuela de agua dulce, rascón real o rascón rey (Spanish)

If you want to watch similar bird and other wildlife videos go to my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/tavovalero/videos

King Rails
Lang Elliott

About

Uploaded on Jul 18, 2010

Clarence Cannon NWR is famous for its King Rails, and July is the month to see females and their chicks. Finally, I got the chance this year to get over there, encouraged by the reports of several St Louis birders.

King Rail - Rallus elegans
Stoil Ivanov

About

Published on Aug 10, 2014

King Rail ( Rallus elegans ) 8-10-2014

Air Station Prairie Glenview, IL

King Rail calling :The Celery Fields
Claire Herzog

About

Published on Mar 8, 2015

King Rail (Rallus elegans)
ospr3y

About

Published on Jan 19, 2017

Seen at the 3 Ton Bridge at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park in Augusta, Georgia (Richmond County). Phinizy is the most reliable location in the state to find this species.

 

Camcorder

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