Yellow Rail

(Coturnicops noveboracensis)

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

NatureServe

N4B - Apparently Secure Breeding

S3B - Vulnerable Breeding

Minnesota

Special Concern

Species in Greatest Conservation Need

 
 
Description

The back has black and tawny longitudinal stripes. The trailing edges of the wings, when seen in flight, are white. The bill is short and yellow.

 

Size

6½ to 7½ in length

11 wingspan

 

Voice

Repetitive clicking, like stones clicking together: “tic-tic, tic-tic-tic.”

 

Similar Species

 
Habitat

Wet, sedge dominated prairies and meadows

Ecology

Migration

Late April to mid-May and September

 

Nesting

 

 

Food

 

Distribution

Occurrence

Locally common breeder and probable 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

Coturnicops (yellow rails)

   

Subordinate Taxa

Mexican Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis goldmani) (possibly extinct)

Norhtern Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis noveboracensis)

   

Synonyms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Camera

 

Slideshows

Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis)
Steve Arena

Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis)

Yellow Rail Rice Festival, 2014
Harpy-Eagle

Yellow Rail Rice Festival, 2014

Yellow Rails and Rice Festival Oct. 2013
Bruce

Yellow Rails and Rice Festival Oct. 2013

 

slideshow

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Other Videos

In Search of Coturnicops noveboracensis
John Acorn

About

Published on Jan 22, 2015

A birding film, made with Mike Anderson in 1975, shortly after I began birding. I gave it a new soundtrack, and spliced in some footage of actual birds (the gull shot was taken by my Dad, perhaps as early as 1959). I kind of like the finished product.

Yellow Rail
jason law

About

Published on May 7, 2016

Port Austin, MI

Alabama's Elusive Yellow Rail
OutdoorAlabama

About

Published on Oct 9, 2013

Biologists are studying this secretive marsh bird to learn more about its habitat needs and population dynamics.

Yellow Rail Walks on Anahuac NWR-April 2013
Anahuac Refuge

About

Published on Apr 24, 2013

Yellow Rail walks led by the Friends of Anahuac Refuge provide visitors an up-close view of rails found on the refuge. Special permission has been granted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service to the Friends to provide this opportunity.

Yellow Rail Carden Alvar
Jean Iron

About

Published on Apr 30, 2015

Yellow Rail singing at the Sedge Wren Marsh on the Carden Alvar, Ontario. Please note Virginia Rails were also singing in the marsh. 7:30 p.m. on 29 April 2015.

More information about Carden Alvar http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/articles.cardenalvar

 

Camcorder

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