List of birds of North America (Gruiformes)
Rails, gallinules and coots
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, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
- American coot, Fulica americana LC (ssp. alai: E)
- Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus LC
- Ash-throated crake, Porzana albicollis LC
- Azure gallinule, Porphyrio flavirostris (A) LC
- Black rail, Laterallus jamaicensis NT
- Clapper rail, Rallus crepitans LC
- Ridgway's rail, Rallus obsoletus (Rallus o. obsoletus R. o. obsoletus, R. o. yumanensis and R. o. levipes: E)
- Mangrove rail, Rallus longirostris (NR)
- Colombian crake, Neocrex colombiana DD
- Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata (G. chloropus: )
- Corn crake, Crex crex (A) LC
- Eurasian coot, Fulica atra (A) LC
- Gray-breasted crake, Laterallus exilis LC
- Gray-necked wood rail, Aramides cajaneus LC
- Rufous-naped wood rail, Aramides albiventris
- King rail, Rallus elegans LC
- Aztec rail, Rallus tenuirostris (NR)
- Ocellated crake, Micropygia schomburgkii LC
- Paint-billed crake, Neocrex erythrops LC
- Ruddy crake, Laterallus ruber LC
- Rufous-necked wood rail, Aramides axillaris LC
- Sora, Porzana carolina LC
- Spotted crake, Porzana porzana (A) LC
- Spotted rail, Pardirallus maculatus LC
- Uniform crake, Amaurolimnas concolor LC
- Virginia rail, Rallus limicola LC
- Water rail, Rallus aquaticus (A) LC
- White-throated crake, Laterallus albigularis LC
- Yellow-breasted crake, Porzana flaviventer LC
- Yellow rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis LC
- Zapata rail, Cyanolimnas cerverai CR
Sungrebe
Order: Gruiformes Family: Heliornithidae
- Sungrebe, Heliornis fulica LC
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 LC
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) LC
- Sandhill crane, Grus canadensis LC (ssp. nesiotes and pulla: E)
- Whooping crane, Grus americana EN E (and XN)