Where to Find Those Elusive Rails

People that watch birds often start with the ducks because they are big, plentiful in local lakes and swamps, are easily found during winter and have few lookalikes. Wading birds such as the rails are found in the birding guide in the same general section and are just as large, but seen very infrequently.

Wading birds use their wide feet to walk over swampy areas and in standing water. They hunt for frogs, crabs and other crustaceans, snails, seeds, worms and occasionally fish. They have the habit of walking along the edge of shore, weaving in and out of the reeds, the most common are the Common Coot and Moorhen, which we've seen around the world. Many times bird watchers only hear the cries of a rail and never spot the birds. I found that sometimes the rails would talk to me if I mimicked their calls. February is a good month to look for rails because during mating they are less cautious; we spotted one pair when the male chased the female out into the open. They are noted for their long legs and toes and short rounded tail. They belong to the Family Rallidae.

Here's a description of the few places I've found rails.

Corpus Christi, Texas City, State and National Parks

One Christmas we hopped in our car to spend winter where it was warmer i.e. Corpus Christi and connected with Gene Blackwell and the local Audubon Chapter. My husband signed up for bird identification classes with Gene Blackwell and his class went on many field trips, including some sponsored by Audubon. From them, we found many of the local birding locations where we spotted rail, including:

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge-take highway 35 east from Corpus Christi to get to the park most noted for their small populations of Whooping Cranes, but we also spotted a Virginia Rail along one trail through the woods along a creek.

Aransas Pass - a small nature reserve and board walk is our favorite place to spot rails. We found King Rail and Virginia Rail. The King Rail had moved to Corpus Christi following the previous hurricane.

Hans Suter Wildlife Park-on the Cayo del Oro, take Hwy 37 into Corpus Christi and turn on Ocean Drive-we spotted a Sora Rail along the edge of the creek leading into the bay.

Indian Point-take Hwy #37 into Corpus Christi then Hwy35/181 to Portland, exit is over the bridge. Fisherman use the park but there is a trail and boardwalk among the flats where the birds feed.

Cape Canaveral Marsh and the Everglades in Florida

Cape Canaveral marsh has two sections that involve a drive through the area, past many ponds and along the river with mixed water and brine areas where many birds can be spotted. We found a Clapper Rail on the Blackwell Wildlife drive. Ask at the park headquarters for instructions for the drive along the marshes north of the park for a fun day of fishing, birding or a pleasant drive.

Columbia National Wildlife Refuge Along Crab Creek in Washington State

The first rail I ever saw was sitting among the reeds in the irrigation outlet at the edge of the road and we saw it just by chance near sunset. The Crab Creek area is filled with mosquitoes-definitely stay in the car or have protection on. Its beautiful fishing and hunting territory and terrific birding. From the Y across the Columbia River near Vantage on I-90, take the turn to the south and take Hwy 26 toward Othello and Washtucna, the road into the wildlife reserve is a gravel loop road with additional places to stop and spend as much time as desired.

[1] John Farrand, Jr, The Audubon Society Master Guide to Birding

[2] Roger Tory Peterson, Field Guide Birds of Texas

[3] Harold R. Holt, A Birders Guide to the Texas Coast

[4] Paul R. Erlich, David S. Dobkin, Darryl Wheye, "The Birder's Handbook", Simon & Schuster, 1988