

In the Yucatan Peninsula, crakes, coots, rails, and gallinules belong to the bird family of rails. At least 12 species call the Yucatan home part or all of the year of the 150 species or so in a worldwide distribution, less polar regions, of course.

In the following poem, composite descriptions refer only to some of those 12 species in the images. I have no Yucatan photographs of any 5-9 inch, short-billed rails, called crakes. Crikey! In the photos some are hunted as game birds in Canada and all are hunted as game birds in the US except the 17” Gray-necked Wood-Rail. Guess it isn’t “de-railed” since it ranges from eastern Mexico to northern Argentina.
HAIL TO THE RAIL
Chicken-sized
from bantam to Rhode Island Red
Cocked tails (not cocktails)

http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/127498
Short or long bills of
Candy-corn, lipstick red,
Pearly white, mellow yellow,
Orangey, dusky

http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/43002
All with long skinny toes
Red-topped greenish stockings,
Bright yellow boots,
Fleshy brown to orange,
Pale green or
Kinky reddish legs

http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/96363
Coveralls
Cascading rainbow, slaty gray fog,
Camouflage brown,
Reddish-cinnamon,
White stripe,
Black spots and streaks

http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/2857
Plant, insect dining or
Fish, tadpoles, snails, eggs, nestlings
Secretive, shy
Early morn risers
Forest, swamp or marsh haunters

http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/2900

http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/2867
DON’T MISS THE CHANCE TO RALLY OUTDOORS IN NATURE.
DISCLAIMER: References do not agree on details about this species. Here are my resources: Sal a Pajarear Yucatan Guia de Aves, A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America, Birds and Reserves of the Yucatan Peninsula, http://macaulaylibrary.org/ a website from Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Lives of North American Birds, https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/browse_tax.aspx?family=49, http://www.waterbirdconservation.org/plan/draft2/appendix%202.pdf, https://books.google.com/books?id=3mg50wobsOsC&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=Current+%23+of+rail+species+worldwide&source=bl&ots=XJHd_IVHnu&sig=gZOilV_PcdLMkkMjf90V-lUK3xQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj0oub-3ZPKAhUG_mMKHRbRBMkQ6AEIKTAC#v=onepage&q=Current%20%23%20of%20rail%20species%20worldwide&f=false, http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2012/oct/21/tips-hunting-snipes-rails-coots-gallinules-and-moo/?f=rivervalley
Cherie Pittillo, “nature inspired,” photographer and author, explores nature everywhere she goes. She’s identified 56 bird species in her Merida, Yucatan backyard view. Her column, published on the 7th and 21st of each month, features anecdotes about birding in Merida, Yucatan and beyond. Contact: all4birdies@gmail.com All rights reserved, ©Cherie Pittillo
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What huge feet they have! Wonderful photos, as always. You are a genius!
All the best for 2016.
Thanks so much, e. Those long toes enable them to walk on floating vegetation, a great adaptation for food gathering. Have a spectacular 2016, e!
As always, your photos are stunning. I am not sure why I cannot open all of them, but ….)
I recently received a new CD named ¨Music Birds Love While You Are Gone; Calming music & soothing stories for your bird.¨
I suggest that any of your bird/nature loving readers will love this CD as much as I do.
And yes, my bird does like it as well.
Alinde
Hi Alinde: What internet browser are you currently using ?