IORC Record 2017-090
Form: Clapper Rail
County: Lake
Location: Waukegan Beach
Date(s): 28 September to 9 October 2024
Number of birds: one
Remarks: Found by Steve Mulhall.
At the time of the original sighting, there was some discussion of the identification between King Rail and Clapper Rail on IBET (Illinois birding listserv). The email contributions happened during 28-29 Sep 2017. There was also a post by Adam Sell on Facebook's Illinois Birding Network (https://www.facebook.com/groups/illinosbirding/permalink/1670351683003271/), with some discussion in the replies. The discussion in the two fora ended up favoring juvenile King Rail as the identification. Supplement #1 below contains the main detailed analysis.
On 6 Dec 2024, Michael O'Brien questioned the identification of this bird as King Rail in eBird checklists S29456286,S39472026, and S39620047, noting "This is a straightforward Clapper Rail. Extensive gray edging on upperparts and neck, no rust in wings, dark feather centers above not even close to black." In an email correspondance with the IORC secretary, O'Brien noted, "I came across this when I was addressing a question I had about King Rail molt patterns, and this bird really stood out. Juvenile King Rails can look gray on the breast like this, but they have much blacker feather centers above. This bird shows the typical Clapper pattern of gray feathers that are shaded darker toward the centers. And even juvenile Kings usually show some rufous tones in the wing coverts, while this bird shows none. Also, given the relatively heavy flank barring that this bird is showing, it is not in juvenile plumage (juvs have very weak flank barring). And of course, an adult King Rail would show an all rufous breast as well as brown upperparts with blackish streaking. So this really is a typical looking Clapper Rail, likely an Atlantic Coast bird."
Additional material:
- Supplement #1: commentary sent to IBET (Illinois birding listserv) on 29 Sep 2017 by Steve Bailey
Externally archived documentation:
- eBird checklist S39444156 of Steve Mulhall
- eBird checklist S39457281 of Steve Mulhall
- eBird checklist S39453701 of William McClellan
- eBird checklist S39456286 of Annette McClellan
- Macaulay Library asset ML70271551 (photograph) (see photo #5 below)
- Macaulay Library asset ML70271601 (photograph) (see photo #4 below)
- Macaulay Library asset ML70271611 (photograph)
- Macaulay Library asset ML70271641 (photograph) (see photo #6 below)
- Macaulay Library asset ML70271701 (photograph) (see photo #3 below)
- eBird checklist S39472026 of Annette McClellan
- Macaulay Library asset ML70359001 (photograph) (see photo #11 below)
- Macaulay Library asset ML70359051 (photograph) (see photo #9 below)
- eBird checklist S39620047 of Annette McClellan
- Macaulay Library asset ML71208031 (photograph)
- Macaulay Library asset ML71208081 (photograph) (see photo #10 below)
Photographs submitted: 11 by Annette McClellan
Photo #1 by Annette McClellan on 29 September 2017 (reduced size image; full resolution version is available in the IORC archives)
Photo #2 by Annette McClellan on 29 September 2017 (reduced size image; full resolution version is available in the IORC archives)
Photo #3 by Annette McClellan on 29 September 2017 (reduced size image; full resolution version is available in the IORC archives)
Photo #4 by Annette McClellan on 29 September 2017 (reduced size image; full resolution version is available in the IORC archives)
Photo #5 by Annette McClellan on 29 September 2017 (reduced size image; full resolution version is available in the IORC archives)
Photo #6 by Annette McClellan on 29 September 2017 (reduced size image; full resolution version is available in the IORC archives)
Photo #7 by Annette McClellan on 30 September 2017 (reduced size image; full resolution version is available in the IORC archives)
Photo #8 by Annette McClellan on 30 September 2017 (reduced size image; full resolution version is available in the IORC archives)
Photo #9 by Annette McClellan on 30 September 2017 (reduced size image; full resolution version is available in the IORC archives)
Photo #10 by Annette McClellan on 8 October 2017 (reduced size image; full resolution version is available in the IORC archives)
Photo #11 by Annette McClellan on 30 September 2017 (reduced size image; full resolution version is available in the IORC archives)
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