Western Bird Guide: Birds of the Rockies and West to the Pacific

by Charles K. Reed

BLACK RAIL.

216. Creciscus coturniculus. 5 inches.

This is the smallest of the Rails. A dark slaty colored bird, with back a dark brown thickly spotted with white, gray feathers on the sides and flank spotted and barred with white.

Nest.—These are woven of strips of rushes and grass, nicely cupped to hold the eggs, which number from six to twelve; creamy white, specked all over with reddish brown (1.03 × .75).