Coastal Carolina

HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 12 inches Wingspan: 25 inches * Fairly large, duck-like waterbird with short wings and a short tail * Very short, thick bill * Frequently seen both swimming and walking * Often flicks and cocks short tail while walking, exposing white outer undertail coverts * Sexes similar * Toes have lobed webbing, unlike gallinules Adult: * White bill with dark reddish ring just before tip * White frontal shield with reddish oval near tip * Slate gray head, neck, back, upperwings, breast and belly Juvenile: * Lacks the frontal shield of the adult * Horn-colored bill may lack ring near tip * Pale gray-brown head, neck, upperwings, breast and back; feathers on underparts often with paler edges Similar species: Common Moorhen is of similar size and shape but has a reddish bill with a yellowish tip, a white stripe along the flanks, and a brownish back.

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Fulica americana HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 12 inches Wingspan: 25 inches * Fairly large, duck-like waterbird with short wings and a short tail * Very short, thick bill * Frequently seen both swimming and walking * Often flicks and cocks short tail while walking, exposing white outer undertail coverts * Sexes similar * Toes have lobed webbing, unlike gallinules Adult: * White bill with dark reddish ring just before tip * White frontal shield with reddish oval near tip * Slate gray head, neck, back, upperwings, breast and belly Juvenile: * Lacks the frontal shield of the adult * Horn-colored bill may lack ring near tip * Pale gray-brown head, neck, upperwings, breast and back; feathers on underparts often with paler edges Similar species: Common Moorhen is of similar size and shape but has a reddish bill with a yellowish tip, a white stripe along the flanks, and a brownish back.

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Rallus longirostris HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 12 inches Wingspan: 20 inches * Fairly large, chunky, short-tailed, round-winged, ground-dwelling marsh bird * Long, slightly decurved bill * Gray-brown cap, hindneck, back and upperwings * Brown back feathers and wing coverts edged with gray * Most often seen walking, rarely flies * Often flicks and cocks its short tail, exposing white undertail coverts * Sexes similar * Juveniles similar to adults, but upperparts darker Atlantic Coast adult (R.l.crepitans): * Gray cheeks * Buffy breast * White throat and belly * Flanks barred with white and gray-brown Gulf Coast (R.l.scottii) and West Coast adults (R.l.levipes and R.l.yumanensis): * Cinnamon breast, brighter in R.l.levipes * White or pale throat * Cheeks gray in R.l.scottii, brownish-gray in Western subspecies * Flanks barred with white and dark brown Similar species: Downy young Clapper Rails can be mistaken for Black Rails but are distinguished by their dark (not red) eyes, the lack of spotting on the back and the lack of barring on the flanks. The smaller Virginia Rail has a red bill and much more contrast between the gray cheeks and the cinnamon underparts. The King Rail is very similar, but is more common in freshwater marshes. Adult King Rails are easily separated from Atlantic Coast Clapper Rails by their reddish brown head, neck and underparts and more sharply-defined barring on flanks. The rich reddish brown wing coverts and tawnier back separate King Rails from all races of Clapper Rail. Hybridization is known with the King Rail.

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Gallinula chloropus HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 10.5 inches Wingspan: 21 inches * Fairly large, duck-like waterbird with short wings and a short tail * Very short, thick bill * Frequently seen both swimming and walking * Often flicks and cocks short tail while walking, exposing white outer undertail coverts which are also easily visible while swimming * Sexes similar Adult: * Red frontal shield above bill * Red bill with a yellow tip * Slate gray head, neck, breast and belly * Brownish back and upperwings * White stripe along upper flanks * Tarsus and feet greenish yellow, tibia red Juvenile: * Small, dull red frontal shield * Dark bill with dull yellow tip * Pale gray-brown head and underparts * Whitish throat and belly * Dark gray-brown upperparts * White stripe along flanks Similar species: In poor light, adult can be confused with Purple Gallinule, but can be distinguished by red forehead shield and white flank stripe. American Coot has a whitish bill, lacks the flank stripe and has a slate gray back. Immature Purple Gallinules are much paler and lack the white flank stripe.

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Rallus elegans HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 14 inches Wingspan: 24 inches * Fairly large, chunky, short-tailed, round-winged, ground-dwelling marsh bird * Long, slightly decurved bill * Most often seen walking, rarely flies * Often flicks and cocks its short tail, exposing white undertail coverts * Sexes similar Adult: * Rich reddish-brown face, neck, breast, and wing coverts * White throat * Dark brown cap and hindneck * Brown back feathers with tawny edges * Whitish belly * Flanks strongly barred with white and dark brown Juvenile: * Pale buff head and neck * Back and upperwings darker than in adult * White belly * Barring on flanks less distinct than in adult Similar species: Downy young King Rails can be mistaken for Black Rails, but have dark (not red eyes), a white bill, and lack spotting on the back and barring on the flanks. The smaller Virginia Rail has a redder bill and much more contrast between the gray cheeks and the cinnamon underparts. The King Rail is very similar as an adult to the Clapper Rail, but is more frequently found in freshwater marshes. Adults are easily separated from East Coast Clapper Rails by their rich reddish brown head, neck and underparts without contrast between the cheeks and body plumage. The reddish upperwings separate King Rails from all races of Clapper Rail.

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Porzana carolina HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 6.75 inches Wingspan: 12.5 inches * Fairly small, chunky, short-tailed, round-winged, ground-dwelling marsh bird * Short, thick bill * Most often seen walking, rarely flies * Often flicks and cocks short tail while walking, exposing white undertail coverts * Sexes similar Adult: * Yellow bill * Black lores and throat (paler in basic plumage) * Blue-gray face, sides of neck, and breast * Brownish cap, nape, hindneck, back and upperwings * Whitish belly * Dark brown and white barring on flanks Juvenile: * Pale yellowish bill * Buff-brown face, foreneck and breast; whitish throat * Brownish cap, nape, hindneck, back and upperwings * White spotting on back and upperwing coverts * Flanks less distinctly barred with white and dark brown Similar species: Adult Sora is distinctive with its short, thick yellowish bill, black face and dark gray and brown plumage. Immature is similar to the Yellow Rail but is larger, and has white undertail coverts and darker upperparts that are spotted with white rather than streaked with buff and black. In flight, the Yellow Rail shows white secondaries.

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