Shana Edwards, age 11, of Monroe, La., for her question:

WhAT KIND OF BIRD IS THE RAIL?

Rail is the common name given to a type bird with a very thin body, a slender bill that is longer than its head, powerful legs and long, completely divided toes on large feet. Rails live in marshes and bogs and feed on insects, worms and seeds.

In olden times when people said one was as "thin as a rail," they were likening the person to the bird.

i1s axe good in the air and can fly great distances, but they seem to prefer running in fields, dodging through the thickets. They can swim and dive very well but usually take to the water only in emergencies.

The birds have loud voices. They scream, cackle, grunt and whistle.

The smallest of all rails is about five inches long while the largest is 20 inches in length. Around the world there are 130 species, but only six kinds can be found living in the United States and Canada: the clapper, king, Virginia, sora or Carolina, black and yellow rails.