Geography/Habitat:

The Clapper Rail (Rallus crepitans) is primarily a resident along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts as well as the Eastern coast of Mexico and the Caribbean islands. Typically, there is some short range shift to the North in Summer. Preferred habitat is coastal saltwater marshes where it is abundant as well as wet meadows. While many members of the rail family (Rallidae) prefer freshwater habitats, Clapper Rails fill that niche in coastal saltmarsh environments. As a result, the Clapper Rail is currently ranked as a species of Least Concern, though its populations are declining due to ongoing habitat loss. All rails are grouped in the order Gruiformes which contain six families including Cranes and such oddities as Limpkins and Sun Bitterns. There are 29 species of Rails, Coots, and Gallinules in North America. Note there is some hybridization with King Rails – particularly on the Atlantic Coast which causes much local variation and there is an extremely small population on the California coast which has now been given species status (Ridgeways Rail). It should be noted Rails are cathemeral (active both day and night). 

Chosen food is typically crustaceans, aquatic insects and small fish usually picked from vegetation or the surface of water. They will eat vegetation and seeds if they need to and this often dominates their diet in the winter. Note rails expel undigested food as pellets.

Usually solitary, Rails only pair up for breeding but are monogamous during breeding season. Clappers make a rough nest of aquatic vegetation just off the ground and typically lay 3-6 buff to live eggs (number of eggs is variable and up to 16 have been recorded). Both parents incubate for a long 18 to 29 days. The male typically builds the nest and do most of the incubation at night. Females incubate during the day. 

Identification



Clapper rails are slender, chicken-like rails, and are typically brown gray with rufous upperparts. Unlike other similar rails like the King rail, Clappers typically have dark streaks. The breast is buffy gray with the belly being dark with white streaks, (though not as distinctive as other rails). Its eye is red to orange and has a distinctively dark face. Wings are typically drab olive. There are at least 2 color morphs, rufous and gray, and ten subspecies. The Texas subspecies saturates is the brightest and can be very striking. Clappers do not like to fly and will run or swim to escape danger, rather than fly.

Interesting Facts



• The collective noun for a group of rails is an Applause, an Audience, or a Commercial
•  Clappers were first described by Dutchman Pieter Boddaert in 1783 on French Guyana. He was a close associate of Linnaeus and even today 190 taxa (including 112 species) are defined as a result of his work (according to the International Ornithological Union)
• Clappers have special glands that allow them to drink salt water
• Eggs will still hatch even if covered by 18 inches of water at high tides.
• In high water chicks can be carried on their adults back like Grebes
• A week after hatching the chicks are divided into two with the parents looking after half each