Ridgway's Rail

Affectionately dubbed “marsh chicken,” the California Ridgway’s Rail, is a secretive, Federally and State Endangered marsh bird endemic to the tidal marshes of San Francisco Bay. Surrounded by 7 million people who also call the Bay Area home, it needs help to compete for real estate. As of 2021, there were an estimated 1,400 rails. Through restoration and protections, biologists are aiming for a stable population of 5,400 individuals.

1 of 6 in this collection