# Clapper Rail (*Rallus crepitans*) The Clapper Rail is a secretive bird that loves to hide in tall grasses and marshes. It has a long body and a distinctive call that sounds like clapping, which is how it got its name! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Clapper Rail Bird, Marsh Hen ![Clapper Rail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Rallus_crepitans_459055643.jpg&width=800) Photo: Adam Jackson, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rallus_crepitans_459055643.jpg) ## Appearance The Clapper Rail is a medium-sized marsh bird with a streaky brown-gray back and rich cinnamon-buff flanks, making it well camouflaged. It has a long, slightly downcurved bill and a relatively short tail, setting it apart from smaller marsh birds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Gruiformes - **Family:** Rallidae - **Genus:** Rallus ## Interesting facts - Baby Clapper Rails are tiny, fluffy black chicks that can leave the nest almost immediately. - Clapper Rails are mostly found along the coast, rarely venturing far inland. - Their distinctive 'clapping' call is often the only sign they are nearby in dense marsh grass! - They build their nests on elevated platforms in marshes, sometimes even floating on vegetation! ## Special abilities - **Marsh Master:** Clapper Rails have a laterally compressed body that helps them slip effortlessly through dense marsh grasses. - **Salty Drinker:** Clapper Rails can drink saltwater thanks to special glands that filter out excess salt from their bodies. - **Vocal Communicator:** Clapper Rails can make loud 'clapping' calls that help them define territory and communicate in the noisy marsh. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 32-41 cm - **Wingspan:** 48-56 cm - **Weight:** 0.2-0.4 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-6 years - **Speed:** 30 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-12 - **Incubation:** 18-20 days ## Diet & Feeding These birds primarily feast on small crabs and fish, but also munch on insects and seeds. - **Primary Foods:** Fiddler crabs, Mummichogs, Grass shrimp, Marsh insects, Snails - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Fiddler Crab (*Uca pugnax*) — A primary food source in marsh habitats. - **Hunts:** [Mummichog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mummichog) (*Fundulus heteroclitus*) — Common marsh fish eaten by adult rails. - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Raccoons often raid Clapper Rail nests for eggs. - **Eaten by:** [Northern Harrier](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-harrier) (*Circus hudsonius*) — A raptor that preys on Clapper Rails. - **Shelter:** Smooth Cordgrass (*Spartina alterniflora*) — Provides crucial nesting and hiding cover. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always respect wildlife and observe birds from a distance without disturbing them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Clapper Rail? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Clapper Rail? 32-41 cm ### What is Clapper Rail's wingspan? 48-56 cm ### How much does Clapper Rail weigh? 0.2-0.4 kg ### How long does Clapper Rail live? 3-6 years ### How fast can Clapper Rail move? 30 km/h ### What does Clapper Rail eat? These birds primarily feast on small crabs and fish, but also munch on insects and seeds. ### Where is Clapper Rail usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Brunswick Old Town Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brunswick-old-town-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Charleston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charleston-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [French Quarter](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/french-quarter) — US · Neighborhood - [Marine Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/marine-park) — New York, US · Park - [Central New Bedford Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/central-new-bedford-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [New Bedford Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/new-bedford-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District [View all places to see Clapper Rail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/clapper-rail) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Clapper Rail: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/clapper-rail)