90 

 Subfamily Railing. True Rails. 



General Description. Very flat-bodied birds, compressed laterally, adapted for slipping 

 between close-growing reeds and grasses; wings small, rounded, and comparatively weak; 

 the whole structure of the bird is loose, giving the flexibility needed by habit and habitat, 

 but not adapted for prolonged or strenuous effort. 



Distinctions. Most easily recognized by negative characteristics: rail-like birds as 

 described above that are neither Gallinules nor Coots, without the frontal shield on fore- 

 head of those birds (Figures 23 and 25, p. 22). 



Field Marks. Rails rise from the grass at one's feet with a loose, feeble flight, legs 

 dangling and neck outstretched. They rise with evident and hurried difficulty, fly weakly 

 a short way over the marsh, and then suddenly collapse into it again. 



The Rails are skulkers and expert hiders in the grass. They thread 

 the narrow runways between the clumps with mouse-like dexterity and 

 speed. They rely on this ability to hide more than on flight to escape 

 danger and will often allow themselves to be caught in the hand rather 

 than take wing. A Rail will flush once in a seeming panic, but safely down 

 again it can rarely be forced to wing a second time and in a small isolated 

 clump of cover will seldom be detected except by a dog's keen nose. Rails 

 can and do swim, but only occasionally and only for a short distance, as, 

 if passing from one grass clump to another, they find the water too deep 

 for wading. 



Rails are very noisy, especially at night. Even in the daytime a 

 sudden and unexpected noise will bring forth a chorus of their loud harsh 

 cacklings from the marsh, though not a bird may be seen. 



Our Canadian Rails can be divided into two divisions, a long-billed 

 type and a short-billed type (Figures 23 and 25, p. 22). The first includes 

 the King and Virginia, the two species having a similar coloration; the 

 second includes the Sora and the Yellow Rails, having only a general 

 resemblance in colour but similar stubby bills. 



Genus Rallus. Rails. 



208. King Rail. FR. LE RALE LGANT. Rallus elegans. L, 15. Long-billed; 

 cheeks, neck, and breast cinnamon-rufous; back brownish black, each feather broadly 

 margined with an ochraceous shade of the breast colour, flanks barred with black and 

 white. Juvenile similar, but colours veiled with black. 



Distinctions. In Canada can be mistaken only for the similarly coloured Virginia 

 Rail, but King Rail is much larger. 



Field Marks. Loose rail-like flight as it rises from the grass; size, general coloration, 

 and long red-brown bill. 



Nesting. In wet marshes, in nest of grass, etc. 



Distribution. Rather southern distribution; comes regularly within our borders 

 along the lower Great Lakes; breeds wherever found in Canada. 



The King Rail can be taken as the type of the Long-billed Rails 

 (Figure 23, p. 22). It has a longer neck and a more graceful habit and 

 build than the Short-billed type. This series is one of several among 

 American birds where distinct species differ from each other in little else 

 than size. Included with our King and Virginia Rails in this series is the 

 extralimital Clapper Rail of the more southern seaboard salt marshes, 

 never occurring in Canada. 



