King Rail

The king rail (Rallus elegans) is a waterbird, the largest North American rail. == Description == Distinct features are a long bill with a slight downward curve, with adults being brown on the back and rusty-brown on the face and breast with a dark brown cap. They also have a white throat and a light belly with barred flanks. Undertail coverts are white and are displayed by the male during courtship. Immature birds are covered in down, with light brown on the head and darker brown on the back and wings. This bird's call is a low repeated grunt transcribed as kek-kek-kek. == Distribution and habitat == This bird breeds in marshes in eastern North America. Birds along the southeastern coasts of the United States are permanent residents. Other birds migrate to the southern United States and Mexico; in Canada, they are found in southern Ontario. An adult king rail will molt completely after nesting and it becomes flightless for almost a month. == Ecology == This bird is diurnal, contrasting with its smaller, nocturnal relatives. === Breeding === The nest is a raised platform built with marsh vegetation and covered by a canopy. This is to hide the eggs…