How do you identify a Blackish Rail?

The blackish rail is 27 to 29 cm (11 to 11 in) long; one male weighed 217 g (7.7 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.

How big is a Blackish Rail?

The Blackish Rail is a medium sized bird weighing about 217 g.

Where can you see a Blackish Rail?

The Blackish Rail occurs in 7 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador and Peru.

What does a Blackish Rail sound like?

You can listen to a field recording of the Blackish Rail on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.

What birds look similar to a Blackish Rail?

The Blackish Rail is most easily confused with the Spotted Rail and the Plumbeous Rail.

Is the Blackish Rail endangered?

The Blackish Rail is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Blackish Rail

Pardirallus nigricans

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots · Gruiformes · Uncommon

The Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans) is a uncommon rails, gallinules, and coot found in 7 countries, weighing about 217 g. The blackish rail is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae.

Least ConcernUncommonEats invertebrateswetlandcup nest217 g

Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans), photo 1 — Photo: Rosario Douglas · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans), photo 2 — Photo: Rosario Douglas · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans), photo 3 — Photo: Ryan F. Mandelbaum · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans), photo 4 — Photo: Fabrício Mil Homens Riella · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans), photo 5 — Photo: Fabrício Mil Homens Riella · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans), photo 6 — Photo: Fabrício Mil Homens Riella · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans), photo 7 — Photo: Ryan F. Mandelbaum · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans), photo 8 — Photo: Ryan F. Mandelbaum · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans), photo 9 — Photo: agujaceratops · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans), photo 10 — Photo: Amber M. King · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

About the Blackish Rail

The blackish rail is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and possibly Bolivia.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The blackish rail is 27 to 29 cm (11 to 11 in) long; one male weighed 217 g (7.7 oz). The sexes are alike. They have a long yellow-green bill and pinkish legs. The nominate subspecies has unmarked dark brown upperparts, a white chin and throat, and dark gray face and underparts. P. n. caucae is larger than the nominate and has a larger and whiter throat patch and paler underparts especially at the vent. Voice: The blackish rail has a large vocal repertoire. What is thought to be a male song is a "very sharp, loud, penetrating, repeated 'whuueeee' or 'wheee'." Other vocalizations have been described as a "very fast, metallic 'tii'd'dit'", a "complaining 'keeeeaaa'", a "rapid, repeated 'chchchee'" and a "sharp double squeak".

What the Blackish Rail sounds like

Recording: Ben Tavener · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via xeno-canto

Where it lives

Brazil Colombia Argentina Ecuador Peru Paraguay

Recorded as a rare visitor in Venezuela.

When to see it

The Blackish Rail can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Blackish Rail?: The blackish rail is 27 to 29 cm (11 to 11 in) long; one male weighed 217 g (7.7 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Blackish Rail?: The Blackish Rail is a medium sized bird weighing about 217 g.
Where can you see a Blackish Rail?: The Blackish Rail occurs in 7 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador and Peru.
What does a Blackish Rail sound like?: You can listen to a field recording of the Blackish Rail on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
What birds look similar to a Blackish Rail?: The Blackish Rail is most easily confused with the Spotted Rail and the Plumbeous Rail.
Is the Blackish Rail endangered?: The Blackish Rail is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Blackish Rail for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

Play BeakBrain

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