Habitat Use by Breeding Virginia Rails and Soras

A Comparison of Two European Breeding Habitats of the Water RailRallus aquaticus

“…Detailed quantitative descriptions about these subjects are scarce both for Water Rail (Jenkins & Ormerod 2002, De Kroon & Mommers 2002, as well as for other rail species (Sayre & Rundle 1984, Johnson & Dinsmore 1986, Reid 1989.…”

Habitat preferences of breeding Water RailRallus aquaticus

“…Playback surveys have been widely used in North America to study the distribution of many rail species, including Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris (Tomlinson & Todd 1973, Conway et al 1993, Sora Porzana carolina and Virginia Rails R. limicola (Johnson & Dinsmore 1986, Manci & Rush 1988. Water Rails have many of the physical and ecological attributes of these North American species and are therefore suitable candidates for playback surveys (Taylor & van Perlo 1998).…”

Effects of management practices on wetland birds: Virginia rail

“…Generally, avian productivity and diversity are maximized in hemi-marsh situations (50:50 vegetation cover to water ratio), and these habitats are adequate for breeding rails. Conduct complete drawdowns during the fall and winter, or prior to 15 April, and then reflood so that some water is available between 15 April and 1 August to provide migrant, breeding, and broodrearing habitat for rails (Andrews 1973, Griese 1977, Johnson 1984, Johnson and Dinsmore 1986. If possible, divide a wetland into several independently controlled units to allow for biennial drawdowns (Andrews 1973).…”

“…Where water-control structures allow for manipulation of water levels within wetlands and impoundments, conduct gradual drawdowns that encourage the growth of diverse stands of robust (e.g., cattail, river bulrush), moderately robust (e.g., hardstem bulrush, bur-reed), and fine (sedges) emergent vegetation as well as seed-producing annuals (e.g., knotweed [Polygonum]) (Johnson and Dinsmore 1986). Discourage the development of Stewart and Kantrud (1971) cover types 3 (centrally located expanse of open water surrounded by a peripheral band of emergent vegetation), and 4 (largely devoid of any kind of emergent cover); the former isolates 11 potential breeding habitat from upland and wetland edge seed-producing plants, whereas the latter provides little suitable emergent habitat (Johnson 1984, Johhnson and.…”

“…Virginia Rails avoid nesting near open water (Provost 1947, Andrews 1973), but will nest within 15 m of edges between vegetation types , Glahn 1974, Conway 1995. Vegetation height at nest sites varies widely and is not a critical component of Virginia Rail habitat as long as some overhead cover is available (Johnson 1984, Johnson and Dinsmore 1986, Conway and Eddleman 1994, Conway 1995. Virginia Rails typically create a canopy of emergent vegetation over the nest, as well as ramps of vegetation that lead up to the nest from the water (Gillette 1897, Beattie 1899, Allen 1934, Walkinshaw 1937, Billard 1948, Tanner 1953, Stewart 1975.…”