The slate-gray bird that looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and is not a duck
at all. It is a **rail** — and rails sit in the same order as **cranes**.

⭐ The nearest relative of the bird clucking around a Portland pond is the
**Sandhill Crane**. Both are Gruiformes; ducks are not even close. Evolution put
a crane's cousin on the water and gave it lobed toes instead of a web.