Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) Caleb G. Putnam
Kensington Metro Park, Oakland Co., MI. (Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II) 6/15/2009 © Jim Ridley
The finicky Virginia Rail can be notoriously distribution of the Virginia Rail since MBBA I or indeed since the early 1900s. Barrows’ difficult to detect within its marshy confines. (1912) century-old description, for example, Even during apparently perfect conditions it is pertains equally well to modern times as to his often completely silent; yet on select calm own: “…found over the entire state [and] much evenings in late April and May the persistent more abundant in the southern half of the state observer is rewarded with a cacophony of its than farther north.” Statewide, this species was powerful “kiddick-kiddick” calls emanating detected at virtually identical levels between the from the invisible depths. This distinctive, two atlas periods, being found in 3.66% (MBBA orange-billed relative of cranes is a fairly I) and 3.49% (MBBA II) of all blocks. There common, although local, breeder throughout the was a slight decrease in its detection in the middle latitudes of North America, with southern LP (6.10% during MBBA I, 5.13% scattered non-migratory populations in Central during MBBA II). Whether this may indicate a and South America. Birds from the migratory, continuation of earlier habitat losses within this nominate population winter coastally to British region (Rabe 1991, McPeek 1994), lower Columbia and New England, along the Gulf regional atlasing effort (9% fewer hours Coast, and across much of northern Mexico. In compared to MBBAI), or some other Michigan the Virginia Rail is found statewide as explanation is unknown. a breeder, being at its highest abundance in the south and thinning considerably in the northern The Virginia Rail is a generalist, being found in LP and UP. This species very rarely winters in an array of habitats possessing emergent Michigan, though it is more numerous during vegetation, wet substrate, and high invertebrate this season in western portions of its breeding abundance. Shallow water is preferred, but range (Conway 1995, pers. obs.). deeper areas are used if sufficient floating
vegetation is available to walk on (Conway Distribution 1995). It occurs in higher densities in cattail and Similar to reports from Ontario (Tozer 2007) bulrush marshes compared to sedge/grass and New York (Medler 2008), Michigan has marshes (Ribic 1999), which may explain why experienced no perceptible change in the
© 2010 Kalamazoo Nature Center Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) Caleb G. Putnam this species is less abundant in the northern the Lake Erie basin in particular. A significant reaches of the state. It is also found in wet increase in detection in Ontario, however, may meadows, river and lake edges, and even have been due to increased observer effort flooded ditches, exemplifying its profound during its second atlassing period rather than flexibility to utilize habitats of all spatial scales. actual increases in population (Tozer 2007). Wetlands just a fraction of an acre in extent are Indeed, observer effort likely exerts a very used regularly. A preference for sites possessing strong effect on detection of this species, a roughly equal ratio of open water to emergent necessitating a standardized sampling effort in cover is reported (Conway 1995, Conway and order to allow for population level inferences. Eddleman 1994). Population estimates and trend data are lacking for Indiana, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Breeding Biology Ontario. The Virginia Rail arrives in the southern LP starting in early to mid March (Chartier and Conservation Needs Ziarno 2004, eBird 2010) and reaches the UP by The protection and restoration of wetland mid to late April. There is a suggestion of later habitats statewide is vital to the continued spring arrival in historical times, such as survival of this species. Continued funding of published dates of 18 April (Walkinshaw 1937) the Farm Bill and its provisions (e.g. Wetlands for the southern LP and “early May” Reserve Program) should be promoted. Recent (Zimmerman 1977) for the UP. Whether this is attempts to eliminate the Wetlands Program of due to differences in survey effort or an actual the Michigan Department of Natural Resources change in migration phenology is not known, and Environment constitute a serious potential though the latter seems likely. Nesting begins in threat to Michigan’s wetlands. The MDNRE late April or May, with incubation lasting Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) provides approximately 19 days (Conway 1995). The one means of obtaining resources for marsh species typically vacates Michigan by October restoration on privately-owned land. with small numbers lingering in the southern LP until December. Systematic wetland surveys are necessary to obtain a clearer picture of the Virginia Rail’s Abundance and Population Trends population status and trends in Michigan. Such Because traditional sampling methods such as surveys (eg. the Michigan Natural Features the Breeding Bird Survey do a poor job of Inventory Marshland Monitoring Program) detecting species with localized distributions should aim for intense coverage between early and nocturnal/crepuscular habits, few data on April and May in the southern LP (early May to the Virginia Rail’s abundance in Michigan are early June in the UP/NLP), and should available. Breeding Bird Survey data suggest a incorporate broadcasting of prerecorded calls to 10.5% statistically insignificant annual decline increase the detection of this and other secretive between 1966 and 2007 for the state (Sauer et species (e.g. Conway and Gibbs 2005). al. 2008). No population estimates are currently available.
Reports for surrounding states and provinces are mixed. The Marsh Monitoring Program reported a significant decline in this species over the entire Great Lakes basin from 1995-2003 (Crewe et al. 2005) and a significant decrease in
© 2010 Kalamazoo Nature Center Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) Caleb G. Putnam
Literature Cited Ribic, C.A., S. Lewis, S. Melvin, J. Bart, and B. Peterjohn. 1999. Proceedings of the Marsh Barrows, W.B. 1912. Michigan Bird Life. Bird Monitoring Workshop. USFWS Region Special Bulletin. Michigan Agricultural 3 Administrative Report, Fort Snelling, College. Lansing, MI. Minnesota, U.S.A. Conway, C.J. 1995. Virginia Rail (Rallus Sauer, J.R., J.E. Hines, and J. Fallon. 2008. The limicola). In The Birds of North America, North American Breeding Bird Survey, No. 173 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Results and Analysis 1966 - 2007. Version Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, 5.15.2008. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Research Center, Laurel, Maryland, U.S.A. Conway, C.J., and W.R. Eddleman. 1994. Tozer, D.C. 2007. Virginia Rail. In Cadman, Virginia Rail. In Management of migratory M.D., D.A. Sutherland, G.G. Beck, D. shore and upland game birds in North Lepage, and A.R. Couturier (eds.). 2007. America (T.C. Tacha and C.E. Braun, eds.). Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario, International Association of Fish and 2001-2005. Bird Studies Canada, Wildlife Agencies Environment Canada, Ontario Field Conway, C.J., and J.P. Gibbs. 2005. Ornithologists, Ontario Ministry of Natural Effectiveness of call-broadcast surveys for Resources, and Ontario Nature. Toronto, monitoring marsh birds. Auk 122:26-35. Ontario, Canada. Crewe, T., S. Timmermans, and K. Jones. 2005. Walkinshaw, L.H. The Virginia Rail in The Marsh Monitoring Program Annual Michigan. Auk 54:464-475. Report, 1995-2003: Annual indices and Zimmerman, J.L. 1977. Virginia Rail. In trends in bird abundance and amphibian Management of migratory shore and upland occurrence in the Great Lakes basin. Bird game birds in North America (G. C. Studies Canada, Port Rowan, Ontario, Sanderson, Ed.). Washington, D.C., U.S.A., Canada. International Association of Fish and eBird. 2010. eBird: An online database of bird Wildlife Agencies. distribution and abundance [web application]. Version 2. eBird, Ithaca, New Suggested Citation York. Available: http://www.ebird.org. (Accessed: Date [e.g., April 26, 2010]). Putnam, C.G. 2010. Virginia Rail (Rallus McPeek, G.A. 1994. Virginia Rail. In McPeek, limicola). In Chartier, A.T., J.J. Baldy, and G.A., and R.J. Adams (eds.). 1994. The J.M. Brenneman (eds.). 2010. The Second Birds of Michigan. Indiana University Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas. Kalamazoo Press. Indianapolis, IN. Nature Center. Kalamazoo, MI. Accessed Medler, M.D. 2008. Virginia Rail. In online at:
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