Yellow Rail Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesYellow Rail
Adult
Small rail with a short tail, bill, and neck. Yellowish below and dark above with yellowish stripes down the back. Extremely secretive; runs quietly through wetland vegetation.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryMinnesota, June 04, 2020Adult
Small rail with a short tail, stubby bill, and buffy yellow streaks down the back. Breeds in fresh and brackish sedge-filled marshes.
© Sparrow Claw / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, May 24, 2018Adult
Small, secretive rail of marshes that is very difficult to see. This video has no audio.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryNorth Dakota, June 18, 1994Adult
In flight note white secondaries and stocky rather football-like shape.
© Laura Keene / Macaulay LibraryLouisiana, November 14, 2016Similar SpeciesSora
Adult
Larger than a Yellow Rail with a thicker and longer yellow bill. The neck is gray (not buffy).
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 04, 2016Similar SpeciesSora
Juvenile
Larger than a Yellow Rail with a thicker and longer yellow bill. Juveniles have a cleaner breast than juvenile Yellow Rails.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, July 17, 2016
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.