Yes, you are putting too fine a point on it. Either Audubon's "Birds of North America" renderings of the various seasonal plumages on both of these species is completely wrong, or the coloration of the various carvings of both of these I have on the shelves of my gunroom wall are bogus as well. Artists' interpretations of seasonal plumages of birds vary widely depending on whether they are painting from a photograph or drawing, or if they are using a freshly-killed specimen as a model. The light bounce off both these pictures is deceptive; the Clapper rail looks as if it is missing its left wing, and the right wing appears to be bent back, rotating the speculum to the rear. There is no mistaking either species; the color patterns are genuine if not the placement and contrasting plumage.
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