Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis), a State Threatened species, is a rare migrant as well as a rare summer resident in both the north and east areas of Wisconsin. Yellow Rails are 6-7" long, have short bills and are a deep tawny-yellow in color with dark stripes crossed by white bars. In flight, the Yellow Rail is the only rail with a white patch on the trailing edge of each wing. Yellow Rails are primarily found in extensive meadows of "wiregrass" sedge and sometimes bluejoint, with little or no shrub encroachment. The required avoidance period is May 1 - July 15.
