Video of Clapper Rail taken by RGVCTMN 2017 class member, Phillip Dodson.
The clapper rail (Rallus crepitans) is a member of the rail family, Rallidae. The taxonomy for this species is confusing and still being determined. The Ridgway’s rail and the mangrove rail have been recently split. Furthermore, some taxonomists consider that the king rail and Aztec rail should be considered within this group, as those birds look similar and the birds are known to interbreed where they share territories.
Thanks Phillip for an interesting video on the secretive Clapper Rail.