• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
Fjeldså, J. 1983. A Black Rail from Junín, central Peru: Laterallus jamaicensis tuerosi ssp. n. (Aves: Rallidae). Steenstrupia: 277-282.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	A2ace+3ce+4ace	A2ace+3ce+4ace

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2021	Endangered	A2ace+3ce+4ace
2019	Endangered	A2ace+3ce+4ace
2016	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c
2012	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c
2008	Near Threatened	A2c; A3c; A4c
2006	Near Threatened
2004	Near Threatened
2000	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1994	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988	Near Threatened

Migratory status	full migrant	Forest dependency	does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type	continent	Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	40,400,000 km2	medium
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding)	39,700,000 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	10000-49999 mature individuals	poor	suspected	2019
Population trend	decreasing	poor	estimated	2018-2028
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	50-79%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	50-79%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	50-79%	-	-	-
Generation length	2.9 years	-	-	-

Population justification: The global population size of this species has not been quantified directly and a distinct paucity of data renders the calculation of reliable estimates difficult. The subspecies jamaicensis, which occurs in eastern North and Central America as well as in the Caribbean, was estimated in the year 2000 to number 25,000-100,000 individuals, roughly equating to 15,000-70,000 mature individuals (Wetlands International 2020). However, given the dramatic declines witnessed in this subspecies in the years since, it would appear that this figure is a considerable overestimate. Watts (2016) recently provided an accurate estimate for the population of jamaicensis residing on the USA's eastern coast between New England and Florida, 455-1,315 breeding pairs or 910-2,630 mature individuals, however this population does not incorporate those individuals that comprise the Texan, central USA, Caribbean or Brazilian individuals of the same subspecies. No other population estimates are thought to be currently available for jamaicensis. The subspecies coturniculus, which occurs in California and northern Mexico, is estimated at 10,000-25,000 individuals, roughly equating to 7,000-17,000 mature individuals (Wetlands International 2020). There are no estimates available for the subspecies murivagans and salinasi in western South America (Wetlands International 2020). As a result, the global population is tentatively placed in the band 10,000-49,999 mature individuals however, such estimates require confirmation and are liable to change should more accurate estimates be provided.

Trend justification: This species is facing a number of serious threats which are thought to be causing declines in many parts of its range. The number of recent records suggest it is extremely scarce or no longer occurs in a number of former areas.
A recent projection of the future resilience of the subspecies jamaicensis in the eastern U.S.A. based on survey data of known populations used different scenarios of sea level rise, land management and the combined effects of both; it shows that the species is undergoing a steep decline and that there is a high probability that the species will be extirpated in the area by 2068 (USFWS 2018a). The surveys give evidence of a population decline at 90% along the east coast of the country since the early 1990s (USFWS 2018b), which is projected to continue. This decline equates to a rate of c. 60-69% over a ten year period and it is precautionarily assumed that subspecies jamaicensis is declining at this rate throughout its entire range.
The other three subspecies coturniculus, murivagans, and salinasi inhabit similar habitats and are likely faced with the same threats posed to jamaicensis, particularly those associated with climate change, and are therefore assumed to be undergoing declines at a similar rate. The rate of population decline for the global population is therefore tentatively placed in the band 50-79% across a ten year period, although further detailed population assessments are required to confirm this trend.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Antigua and Barbuda	extant	vagrant
Argentina	extant	native		yes
Bahamas	extant	vagrant
Belize	extant	native		yes
Bermuda (to UK)	extant	vagrant				yes
Brazil	extant	native			yes
Chile	extant	native		yes
Colombia	extant	uncertain		yes
Costa Rica	extant	native			yes
Cuba	extant	native			yes
Dominican Republic	extant	native		yes
Guatemala	extinct	native		yes
Haiti	extant	native		yes
Honduras	extant	native	yes
Jamaica	extant	native			yes
Mexico	extant	native		yes
Panama	extant	native		yes
Peru	extant	native		yes
Puerto Rico (to USA)	extant	native			yes
USA	extant	native	yes	yes	yes
Virgin Islands (to USA)	extant	native			yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Chile	Humedal de Batuco
Cuba	Ciénaga de Zapata
Honduras	Mocorón
Peru	Río Tambo y Lagunas de Mejía
USA	Bear Island Wildlife Management Area
USA	Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge
USA	Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
USA	Imperial Reservoir
USA	Lower Colorado River Valley
USA	Mittry Lake State Wildlife Area
USA	San Pablo Bay Wetlands
USA	Southern Dorchester County
USA	St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge
USA	Suisun Marsh

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Marine Intertidal	Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses)	major	breeding
Wetlands (inland)	Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands	major	breeding
Altitude	0 - 4100 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Climate change & severe weather	Droughts	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Rapid Declines		Medium Impact: 7
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Reduced reproductive success
Climate change & severe weather	Storms & flooding	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Rapid Declines		Medium Impact: 7
		Stresses Species disturbance, Ecosystem degradation, Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Natural system modifications	Dams & water management/use - Abstraction of ground water (unknown use)	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Majority (50-90%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Medium Impact: 6
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Pollution	Agricultural & forestry effluents - Type Unknown/Unrecorded	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Pollution	Industrial & military effluents - Type Unknown/Unrecorded	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/black-rail-laterallus-jamaicensis on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.