List of North American birds (Gruiformes)

King Rail Order: Gruiformes. Family: Rallidae

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers.

  • American Coot, Fulica americana (ssp. alai: )
  • Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinica
  • Ash-throated Crake, Porzana albicollis
  • Azure Gallinule, Porphyrio flavirostris (A)
  • Black Rail, Laterallus jamaicensis
  • Caribbean Coot, Fulica caribaea
  • Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris (California Clapper Rail R. l. obsoletus, R. l. yumanensis and R. l. levipes: )
  • Colombian Crake, Neocrex colombiana
  • Common Gallinule, Gallinula galeata
  • Corn Crake, Crex crex (A)
  • Eurasian Coot, Fulica atra (A)
  • Gray-breasted Crake, Laterallus exilis
  • Gray-necked Wood-Rail, Aramides cajanea
  • King Rail, Rallus elegans
  • Ocellated Crake, Micropygia schomburgkii
  • Paint-billed Crake, Neocrex erythrops
  • Ruddy Crake, Laterallus ruber
  • Rufous-necked Wood-Rail, Aramides axillaris
  • Sora, Porzana carolina
  • Spotted Crake, Porzana porzana (A)
  • Spotted Rail, Pardirallus maculatus
  • Uniform Crake, Amaurolimnas concolor
  • Virginia Rail, Rallus limicola
  • Water Rail, Rallus aquaticus (A)
  • White-throated Crake, Laterallus albigularis
  • Yellow-breasted Crake, Porzana flaviventer
  • Yellow Rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis
  • Zapata Rail, Cyanolimnas cerverai

Sungrebe

Order: Gruiformes. Family: Heliornithidae

  • Sungrebe, Heliornis fulica

Limpkin

Limpkin Order: Gruiformes. Family: Aramidae

The Limpkin is an odd bird that looks like a large rail, but is skeletally closer to the cranes. It is found in marshes with some trees or scrub in the Caribbean, South America and southern Florida.

  • Limpkin, Aramus guarauna

Cranes

Order: Gruiformes. Family: Gruidae

Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".

  • Common Crane, Grus grus (A)
  • Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis (ssp. nesiotes and pulla: )
  • Whooping Crane, Grus americana (and )