Blackish Rail
Pardirallus nigricans
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderGruiformes (Cranes, Rails, and Allies)
- FamilyRallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
- GenusPardirallus (Neotropical Marshland Rails)
- SpeciesPardirallus nigricans (Blackish Rail)
About the Blackish Rail
The blackish rail (Pardirallus nigricans) is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and possibly Bolivia.
The blackish rail has previously been placed in the large genus Rallus, and also in genus Orygonax with the plumbeous rail (Pardirallus sanguinolentus). Some authors propose that the blackish and plumbeous rails are conspecific, and they do form a superspecies. The blackish rail has two subspecies, the nominate P. n. nigricans and P. n. caucae.
The blackish rail is 27 to 29 cm (11 to 11 in) long; one male weighed 217 g (7.7 oz). The sexes are alike. They have a long yellow-green bill and pinkish legs. The nominate subspecies has unmarked dark brown upperparts, a white chin and throat, and dark gray face and underparts. P. n. caucae is larger than the nominate and has a larger and whiter throat patch and paler underparts especially at the vent.
The blackish rail has a disjunct distribution. The nominate subspecies has two populations. One is found from northeastern Brazil... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Blackish Rail in Iguazú National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Iguazú National Park
Spotted Rail
Pardirallus maculatus
Slaty-breasted Wood-Rail
Aramides saracura
Rufous-sided Crake
Laterallus melanophaius
Azure Gallinule
Porphyrio flavirostris
Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus
Ash-throated Crake
Porzana albicollis
American Purple Gallinule
Porphyrio martinica
Gray-cowled Wood-Rail
Aramides cajanea
Uniform Crake
Amaurolimnas concolor
Limpkin
Aramus guarauna
Sungrebe
Heliornis fulica
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Iguaçu National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Serra da Canastra National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 4 | Chapada Diamantina National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 5 | Podocarpus National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 6 | Serra dos Órgãos National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 7 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 8 | Itatiaia National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 9 | Cordillera Azul National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 10 | Farallones de Cali National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 11 | Los Nevados National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 12 | Yasuní National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 13 | Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 14 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Blackish Rail in Iguazú National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Blackish Rail sighting in Iguazú National Park, based on 657 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Blackish Rail in Iguazú National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Blackish Rail in Iguazú National Park in our monthly data.