<trp-post-container data-trp-post-id='359622'>Blackish Rail
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En bref
- Scientific Name: Pardirallus nigricans
- Spanish Name: Rascón negruzco
- Family: Rallidae
- Known Nicknames: Blackish Rail
- Average Length: 25–30 cm / 10–12 in
- Average Weight: 150–200 g / 5.3–7.1 oz
- Envergure : N/A
- Key Feature: Dark, slaty-black plumage with a contrasting pale throat and a long, greenish-yellow bill
- Régime alimentaire principal : Omnivore
- Range: South America (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay)
- Habitat: Freshwater marshes, wet meadows, and grassy swamps
- Structure sociale : Solitaires ou en couples
- Nesting/Breeding: Well-concealed ground nest in dense vegetation near water
- Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
- Évolution démographique : Stable
The Blackish Rail (*Pardirallus nigricans*) is a secretive, striking waterbird native to South America’s freshwater marshes and wetlands, from Colombia to Argentina. True to its name, this medium-sized rail boasts a uniform, sooty-black plumage that is subtly iridescent in good light, offset by a vivid, coral-red bill and matching red legs that seem to glow against the dark feathers. Its most unique characteristic is a stark white throat patch and a distinctive, pale yellow-white stripe running from the base of its bill through the eye, giving it a masked appearance. A special feature is its surprisingly loud, resonant call—a series of sharp, descending whistles that often betray its presence before the bird is ever seen, as it typically skulks through dense reeds and floating vegetation. This rail’s long toes and slender body allow it to walk atop lily pads and tangled marsh plants with remarkable grace, making it a master of its watery, hidden domain.
Faits amusants
Despite its name, the Blackish Rail isn't truly black; its plumage is a deep, sooty slate-gray that often appears almost velvety, with a striking contrast provided by its bright red eyes and a pale, whitish chin patch. An exceptionally secretive bird, it is more often heard than seen, producing a loud, repetitive, and surprisingly frog-like “keek-keek-keek” call that echoes from dense marsh vegetation. One of its most quirky behaviors is a unique “tail-cocking” display where it flicks its short tail upward while foraging, a motion thought to aid in flushing out insects or signal to other rails in the thick cover. It has also adapted to walk almost silently across floating mats of water hyacinth and other aquatic plants, its long toes distributing its weight to prevent sinking into the muck.
Habitats et répartition
The Blackish Rail is found primarily in South America, ranging from Colombia and Venezuela through Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and into northern Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Its distribution extends east of the Andes, often in lowland regions, though it can occur up to around 2,000 meters in elevation in suitable habitats. This rail inhabits dense, wet environments such as freshwater marshes, swamps, flooded grasslands, and the margins of slow-moving rivers and lakes. It prefers areas with thick emergent vegetation like reeds, rushes, and sedges, where it can forage for invertebrates and seeds while remaining concealed. It also occurs in rice paddies and other agricultural wetlands, provided there is ample cover.
Comportements & Reproduction
The Blackish Rail is secretive and generally solitary outside of the breeding season, with pairs forming only for reproduction. Mating is monogamous, and courtship involves subdued vocal duets and mutual preening, often occurring in dense marsh vegetation near water. The nest is a shallow cup of woven reeds and grasses, typically built on a platform just above water or on damp ground, well-hidden by overhanging plants. Clutch size is usually two to four eggs, and both parents share incubation duties for roughly three weeks. A unique reproductive strategy is the precocial nature of the chicks, which leave the nest within hours of hatching; the parents then lead them through the marsh, brooding them at night and teaching them to forage. This rapid departure reduces predation risk on the nest, and the pair may attempt a second brood in the same season if conditions are favorable.
Alimentation
The Blackish Rail (Pardirallus nigricans) is an omnivorous bird that forages primarily in the muddy edges of marshes, swamps, and wet grasslands. Its diet consists mainly of aquatic invertebrates such as insects, insect larvae, small crustaceans, snails, and worms, which it probes for with its long bill in soft soil and shallow water. It also consumes a variety of plant matter, including seeds, tender shoots, and aquatic vegetation, and has been observed occasionally eating small fish or amphibians. An interesting fact about its feeding behavior is that it often feeds during twilight or at night, making it crepuscular and nocturnal to avoid daytime predators, and it typically forages alone or in pairs, rarely forming large flocks even when food is abundant.
Couleurs
The Blackish Rail has predominantly dark, sooty-brown to blackish upperparts and underparts, with a subtle olive-brown tinge on the wings and a slightly paler, grayish throat and belly. Its bill is long, greenish-yellow with a dark tip, and its legs are a dull reddish-pink. The species lacks bold markings or patterns, and its uniformly dark, drab coloration serves as effective camouflage in the dense, shadowy marsh vegetation it inhabits.
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