Yuma Clapper Rail

The Yuma clapper rail is an endangered subspecies of seven North American clapper rails generally found in freshwater marshes. They feed on crayfish, small fish, clams, isopods, and a variety of insects.

Yuma clapper rails range from northern California along the Pacific coast to central Mexico and have been sighted along the Colorado River where Nevada, Arizona, and California meet. A survey conducted in 1969 and 1970 estimated about 700 breeding birds in the United States. Although the rail population appears to be stable, its future is tied to the various water projects along the Colorado River. The key to maintaining or expanding the rail population is maintaining early growth stages of cattail marsh by creating shallow water areas that serve as nesting places for this species.