The blackish rail (Pardirallus nigricans) is a species of bird in the rail family Rallidae from South America. The species is closely related to the plumbeous rail, and has been treated as being the same species, or placed with that species in the genus Ortygonax. It has also been placed in the genus Rallus. Its natural habitat is swamps, wetlands, wet grasslands and rice fields, from sea level to 2,200 m (7,200 ft) (and occasionally 4,080 m (13,390 ft). They are not known to be migratory, but they have turned up in unexpected places, and are usually shy and retiring, so are poorly known.