Fun Black Rail Facts For Kids

The black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) is a small bird found only in North America and is quite rare to find.This bird is found in states like New Jersey and New York, and in Central America. These birds are known to live around swampy vegetation, marshes, and wetlands as their natural habitat and depend on various invertebrates, insects, and spiders for food. The black rails are carnivores and quite aggressive, but at the same time, these birds are easy to prey on. The breeding season of these birds is generally observed during the summers, and males are known to mate with more than two females. The nests of these birds are generally built in swampy and dense grass vegetations high on the ground. These birds that live in marsh habitats are currently deemed Endangered by the IUCN Red List and are threatened by many factors such as natural disasters, habitat loss, and extreme vulnerability to predators in the wild.If you liked reading about these facts about the black rail, you could also check out some facts on the violet-green swallow and orchard oriole.

What do they prey on? Spiders, aquatic beetles, snails, insects

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 4-13 eggs

How much do they weigh? 1.02-1.37 oz (29-39 g)

How long are they? 4-6 in (10-15 cm)

How tall are they? 8.7-11 in (22-28 cm) (wingspan)

What do they look like? Black, white, brown

Skin Type Feathered

What were their main threats? Habitat Loss, Climate Change, Sea Levels Rising

What is their conservation status? Endangered

Where you’ll find them? Marshes, Wetlands, Coastal Prairies

Locations North America And Atlantic Coast

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Laterallus

Class Aves

Family Rallidae

Black Rail Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a black rail?The black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) is a small-sized bird species that are found living amongst marshes in North America.What class of animal does a black rail belong to?The black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) bird, just like other birds, belongs to the class of Aves and is classified in order Gruiformes.How many black rails are there in the world?According to the IUCN, these birds have an estimated population of between 28,000-92,000 breeding individuals. The major threats to their population are climate change, natural disasters, and the destruction of their natural habitat.Where do black rails live?The eastern black rail is known to live mostly in wetlands and tropical rainforests. These birds are predominantly found in marshes and in North American states like New York and also in Atlantic marshes.What is a black rail’s habitat?The eastern black rail is generally found near freshwater marshes and coasts of the Atlantic Ocean. These birds are found majorly in North American states like New Jersey, New York, etc. They are known to have wet meadows and rainforests as their habitat, where they can easily hunt spiders, snails, and beetles for food.Who do black rails live with?The black rails are very small birds that are found living in small groups in their marsh habitat. These birds are not very social and are rather reclusive in nature. They do not get along with humans either.How long do black rails live?These bird species are found mostly in freshwater marshes and are known to have a lifespan of about five to nine years in their natural habitat and thrive well in captivity too.How do they reproduce?During the breeding season, the highly territorial males are known to attract females by vocal calls. The males mate with two or more females, and the nest of these birds is generally found high on the ground in swampy and flooded grass vegetation. The females lay 4-13 eggs and these eggs, after an incubation period of about 17-20 days, hatch into small nestlings. The black rails are known to attain sexual maturity at the age of one year.What is their conservation status?These rail species conservation status tells us that they are listed as Endangered and are on the IUCN Red List. Their population has decreased over the years because of various reasons like climate change, sea-level rise, high tides, destruction of habitats, etc.Black Rail Fun FactsWhat do black rails look like?Black rails are small-sized, gray-black birds with a black upper back with small white dots. They have chestnut coloring on the backside of their neck and have a brown crown. These birds have dusky pink or wine-colored legs with ruby red eyes.How cute are they?These North American birds are very cute as they have small bodies and are very attractive. They have white spots on their body and are in bluish-gray and black color. Their small bill, feet, and calls make them extremely adorable.How do they communicate?These North American birds are known to communicate by various calls that they make in different circumstances. The males are known to make the ‘kik’ type of high-pitched sounds, and females make nasal calls.How big is a black rail?Small in size, the length of these birds can range from about 4-6 in (10-15 cm), leaving them at about one-third the size of one of their main predators, the owl!How much does a Black Rail weigh?This small bird species of rail weighs in at around 1.02-1.37 oz (29-39 g).What are males and females of the species called?The males and females of this species do not have any names in particular. In terms of scientific naming, they are referred to as Laterallus jamaicensis. These are also known as California black rails, Eastern black rails, and North American black rails.What would you call a baby black rail?There is no specific name for the baby birds of this species but can be referred to as nestlings or chicks.What do they eat?These native North American birds species are known to be carnivorous, primarily feed on insects, invertebrates, aquatic beetles, snails, and spiders. These birds are very easy to prey on, and because of that, they are hunted by many animals like owls, snakes, foxes, etc.Are they aggressive?These bird species are known to live around marshes and are quite aggressive if they need to be. The males are generally seen showing aggression in the form of opening their wings and bill or making calls. This is mostly observed when the male is protecting their territory. Although these birds are somewhat aggressive, they are an easy source of food for many other animals like owls, foxes, and even snakes.Would they make a good pet?This bird species do not make good pets at all, as they are found mostly in wetlands, are very secretive, and do not like the company of human beings. In many places, it is even illegal to keep these birds as pets.Did you know…One of the best black railbird facts is that this bird is known to nest along the Atlantic coast during summers and is often heard rather than seen. The high tides in the water help these small birds reach the edge of marshes when they are unable to do it on their own. The black rails are flightless and cannot fly.Why are black rails Endangered?This bird species was once considered a game bird, but there has been a rapid decline in their population over the years, and they are now considered an Endangered species. The reasons for their population decrease include habitat loss, developmental programs, degradation, and alteration. These birds are also hunted in the wild by predators like foxes, raccoons, owls, and cats.What role does the black rail play in the environment?According to researchers, these birds that belong to the order Gruiformes are very secretive, and not much is known about them. The black rails are known to eat invertebrates and aquatic plants and therefore help with balancing the food chain.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our Pacific parrotlet facts and spotted owl facts pages.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable black rail coloring pages.

What type of animal is a black rail?

The black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) is a small-sized bird species that are found living amongst marshes in North America.

Fun Black Rail Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Spiders, aquatic beetles, snails, insects

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 4-13 eggs

How much do they weigh? 1.02-1.37 oz (29-39 g)

How long are they? 4-6 in (10-15 cm)

How tall are they? 8.7-11 in (22-28 cm) (wingspan)

What do they look like? Black, white, brown

Skin Type Feathered

What were their main threats? Habitat Loss, Climate Change, Sea Levels Rising

What is their conservation status? Endangered

Where you’ll find them? Marshes, Wetlands, Coastal Prairies

Locations North America And Atlantic Coast

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Laterallus

Class Aves

Family Rallidae

Fun Black Rail Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Spiders, aquatic beetles, snails, insects

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 4-13 eggs

How much do they weigh? 1.02-1.37 oz (29-39 g)

How long are they? 4-6 in (10-15 cm)

How tall are they? 8.7-11 in (22-28 cm) (wingspan)

What do they look like? Black, white, brown

Skin Type Feathered

What were their main threats? Habitat Loss, Climate Change, Sea Levels Rising

What is their conservation status? Endangered

Where you’ll find them? Marshes, Wetlands, Coastal Prairies

Locations North America And Atlantic Coast

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Laterallus

Class Aves

Family Rallidae

Fun Black Rail Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Spiders, aquatic beetles, snails, insects

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 4-13 eggs

How much do they weigh? 1.02-1.37 oz (29-39 g)

How long are they? 4-6 in (10-15 cm)

How tall are they? 8.7-11 in (22-28 cm) (wingspan)

What do they look like? Black, white, brown

Skin Type Feathered

What were their main threats? Habitat Loss, Climate Change, Sea Levels Rising

What is their conservation status? Endangered

Where you’ll find them? Marshes, Wetlands, Coastal Prairies

Locations North America And Atlantic Coast

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Laterallus

Class Aves

Family Rallidae