clapper rail

noun

: a grayish-brown long-billed American rail (Rallus longirostris) that inhabits coastal marshes

Examples of clapper rail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Acadian flycatchers at the Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary and the Holly Hill Farm in Cohasset, a clapper rail at Moswetuset Hummock, 11 piping plovers at Wollaston Beach, and a black vulture in Medway. Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 17 June 2023 An endangered species of bird, the light-footed clapper rail, sometimes nests in the cattails and reeds of Buena Vista, which because of the weir is the only freshwater lagoon in San Diego County. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2021 Bristol County: The area hosted a Eurasian wigeon in Acushnet, a great egret at Allens Pond in South Dartmouth, a clapper rail in Fairhaven, a Lincoln’s sparrow at Noquochoke Wildlife Area in Dartmouth, and another Lincoln’s sparrow at Horseneck Beach. BostonGlobe.com, 20 Nov. 2021 Bring binoculars for the best chance to see varieties like the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher, which nests in the refuge, and the Yuma clapper rail, which spends most of its time hidden in the tall grasses. Shanti Lerner, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2022 Wetlands are widely valued as natural pollution filters and as habitat for endangered species such as the Yuma clapper rail, whooping crane and least tern. Elizabeth Svoboda, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2015 Because of the presence of the clapper rail, the cattails may have to be removed in stages, Hunt said. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2021 For saltmarsh sparrows and clapper rails, almost all adults had to be killed for there to be a change in the long-term prospects of the population. James Gorman, New York Times, 17 Sep. 2019 Three clapper rails were spotted at Egypt Road in Fairhaven. BostonGlobe.com, 22 July 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clapper rail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

from its rattle-like call

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clapper rail was in 1813

Dictionary Entries Near clapper rail

Cite this Entry

“Clapper rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clapper%20rail. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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