This bashful bird was first discovered in 1760 in Jamaica and officially classified in 1789 . Very little was published about the eastern black rail until John James Audubon declared the black rail as a “ bird of the United States .” Ironically , Audubon never saw one in the wild , although it wasn ’ t for lack of trying . Most bird watchers , a group estimated to number 46 million Americans , have never seen the black rail in person , a task made difficult given the bird ’ s dwindling numbers and nocturnal nature . If they are lucky enough to hear its kickee-doo ! call or its sharp churt sound , or even its defensive growl , grr , they count the experience as a sighting .
These bird watchers know that the sound of their soughtafter prize is sufficient evidence of its presence , even if they can ’ t actually see it . The black rail is a small creature weighing only 1.2 ounces , roughly one-third the maximum weight of a standard U . S . letter traveling through the postal service . It is sometimes referred to as a “ feathered mouse ” because its appearance , especially when darting out of sight , resembles that of the common rodent . It is roughly four to six inches long and well-hidden as it scampers through the tall grass stalks in remote marshes and wetlands . It prefers staying grounded to taking to the air but fly it will when threatened or spooked .
The rarely photographed bird has small red eyes with a perfectly scaled black iris , a juxtaposition of color that draws any human observer into its orbit as if its elusiveness alone was not enough to attract our interest . Its coloring allows it to blend into its surroundings , black and grey feathers on its back and sides with a brown patch near its neck . White dots sit on the top of its wings , easily mistaken for shimmering lights cast from the Spartina and other tall grasses where it resides .
This remarkable bird is at risk , its long-term survival very much in doubt . Black rails live in wetlands , an environment increasingly at risk from human development , temperature changes , and rising seas . More than half of U . S . wetlands have disappeared since settlers first landed on our shores , meaning black rails have lost more than half of their habitat . Black rails thrive on the thin layer of water these settings provide , a remarkable balancing act between ground solid enough to hold such an ultralight creature and land overtaken by water , rendering the submerged soil useless for such delicate life .
Black rails were once found ( or heard ) all along the eastern shore , from New England to Florida , then stretching to the shores of Texas . They populate several freshwater marshes east of the Rockies , though fewer than they once did . Black rails have been known to exist in Puerto Rico , Brazil , several Caribbean countries , and Central America , but their numbers are small , and their footprint has been steadily decreasing .
Courtship Allopreening . Male Eastern black rail preens female during courtship . ( Photo : Christy Hand / SCDNR , taken under SCDNR research permit BB-20-06 )
Male Offering Food . A male Eastern black rail offers an insect to a female during courtship . ( Photo : Christy Hand / SCDNR , taken under SCDNR research permit BB-20-06 )
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