Adult Black Rails are small blackish marshbirds with a black bill which are difficult to see. Juveniles are similar to adults, but are duller and have less distinct spotting and streaking.

References cited in Species Profile

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 2015. Black Rail. All About Birds. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Rail/id
• Davidson, L. M. 1992. Black Rail, Laterallus jamaicensis. Pages 119-134 in Migratory nongame birds of management concern in the Northeast. (Schneider, K. J. and D. M. Pence, Eds.) U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Newton Corner, MA.
• Eddleman, W. R., R. E. Flores and M. Legare. 1994. Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/123
• Eddleman, W. R., F. L. Knopf, B. Meanley, F. A. Reid, and R. Zembal. 1988. Conservation of North American rallids. Wilson Bull. 100:458-475.
• Evens, J. G., G. W. Page, S. A. Laymon, and R. W. Stallcup. 1991. Distribution, relative abundance, and status of the California Black Rail in western North America. Condor 93:952-966.
• Hands, H. M., R. D. Drobney, and M. R. Ryan. 1989. Status of the Black Rail in the northcentral United States. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Twin Cities, MN.
• Kerlinger, P. and D. S. Wiedner. 1990. Vocal behavior and habitat use of Black Rails in south Jersey. Records of New Jersey Birds 16:58-62.
• Kerlinger, P. and C. Sutton. 1989. Black Rail in New Jersey. Records of New Jersey Birds 15:22-26.
• Mcmullen, T. E. 1944. The Black Rail. Cassinia 34:20-21.
• Richmond, O.M., J. Tecklin, and S.R. Beissinger. 2008. Distribution of California Black Rails in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Journal of Ornithology 79:381-390.
• Todd, R. L. 1977. Black Rail, Little Black Rail, Black Crake, Farallon Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis). Pages 71-83 in Management of migratory shore and upland game birds in North America. (Sanderson, G. C., Ed.) Intl. Assoc. Fish and Wildl. Agen. Washington, D.C.
• Weske, J. S. 1969. An ecological study of the Black Rail in Dorchester County, Maryland.Master's Thesis. Cornell Univ. Ithaca, NY.