Black Rail

Laterallus jamaicensis (Gmelin, JF, 1789)

33 gWeight

The black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) is a mouse-sized member of the rail family Rallidae that occurs in both North and South America.

Busiest months: May, July and December · Most records: Chile, Peru, Belize

Endangered

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: May, July and December · Most records: Chile, Peru, Belize

Black Rail has been recorded at 38 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 6 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

SN Humedal Río Maipo – Pajonal y lagunas estacionalesChile230 records
SN Humedal Río Maipo – DesembocaduraChile224 records
Tranque La CadelladaChile95 records

More places

Refugio de Vida Silvestre Los Pantanos de VillaPeru65 records
Lampa – Puente Negro Sur †Chile56 records
Río Huasco – DesembocaduraChile41 records
SN Laguna El PeralChile41 records
Río Elqui – DesembocaduraChile41 records
Río Huenchullami – DesembocaduraChile36 records
Huitag, Lago CalafquénChile33 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Chile Peru Belize Cayman Islands Mexico Cuba

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) is a mouse-sized member of the rail family Rallidae that occurs in both North and South America. They typically range from 4.7-5.9 inches long, with a wingspan of 8.7-10.2 inches. It is the smallest rail present in North America and is known for its secretive nature.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Black Rail?

The Black Rail weighs around 33 g.

Where does the Black Rail live?

Its breeding range: North America, Middle America, South America: USA, Greater Antilles to western South America. It is most often recorded in Chile, Peru and Belize.