This rapid, clattering call can often be heard pealing across the marsh in early morning or late evening during the spring, as birds advertise for mates. Mated pairs often clapper together, intertwining their calls so closely that it almost sounds like a single bird. Called a duet, this call helps to strengthen their bond and establish their territory. It is also used by biologists during spring surveys to identify mated pairs. A marsh filled with rails provides an incredible auditory experience as their calls sweep across the marsh like a wave.
Rails fiercely defend their breeding territories against other rails.
The breed season is prolonged, lasting from March through August. This results in high productivity since rails can nest again if the first nesting attempt fails. Nests are often built near sloughs or channels, in heavy marsh cover, and are often completely hidden from view by a canopy woven out of overhanging vegetation. A clutch may consist of six to nine pale eggs with rust colored spots. Both adults share in incubating the eggs.