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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The bird, also called a clapper rail, is noted for its distinctive clacking or grunting-like call. — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2024 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

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

Rhymes for clapper rail

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Browse Nearby Words

clapperdudgeon
clapper rail
clapper valve
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Cite this Entry

“Clapper rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clapper%20rail. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.

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