Identifying Clapper and King Rails is one of the more underappreciated identification problems in our area. It is often said the best way to separate them is by habitat since many vocalizations overlap and they are often heard-only. The extensive brackish marshes surrounding the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries make even habitat separation difficult. Many times, locations have simply been passed down among birders as "spots" for one species or the other. I know that I've not personally seen rails at all locations that I have called heard-only King or Clapper Rails.
The excellent EarBirding blog by Nathan Pieplow put out some information on these rails last week that I think would be useful to MD birders. It confirms that extensive caution should be used when trying to identify these birds by vocalizations. Personally, I would not recommend that a single call or series be used to identify out-of-range birds or birds in potential areas of overlap. Extended listening to a frequently calling bird may provide some consistencies that could be clues, but even then, identification may be best left as probable.
http://earbirding.com/blog/archives/3889
Another part I'd like to point out is the "kek-burr" or "kicker" call. I have heard multiple people in the field claim a rail giving this call is a King. I think this comes from a popular tape series that had a recording of this call under King Rail, but not Clapper (if anyone knows for sure, I'd be interested). Both species give this call with no known difference to separate them.
Enjoy!
Matt Hafner Forest Hill, MD
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