View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Aquila Digital Community Northeast Gulf Science Volume 2 Article 2 Number 1 Number 1 6-1978 Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris) Studies in Alabama Dan C. Holliman Birmingham-Southern College DOI: 10.18785/negs.0201.02 Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/goms Recommended Citation Holliman, D. C. 1978. Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris) Studies in Alabama. Northeast Gulf Science 2 (1). Retrieved from https://aquila.usm.edu/goms/vol2/iss1/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Gulf of Mexico Science by an authorized editor of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Holliman: Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris) Studies in Alabama Northeast Gulf Science Vol. 2, No.1, p. 24-34 June 1978 CLAPPER RAIL (Rallus longirostris) STUDIES IN ALABAMAl Dan C. Holliman Biology Department Birmingham-Southern College Birmingham, AL 35204 ABSTRACT: The habitat and distribution of the clapper rail Rallus longirostris saturatus in salt and brackish-mixed marshes of Alabama is described. A total of 4,490 hectares of habitat is mapped. Smaller units of vti'getation are characterized in selected study areas. A comparison of these plant communities and call, count data is shown for each locality. Concentrations of clapper rails generally occurrecj in those habitats with the higher percentage of Spartina alterniflora. A census techni­ que utilizing taped calls is described. Trapping procedures are given for drift fences and funnel traps. Life history data are presented including an early date of April 1 for first eggs in Alabama. Seven stomachs from summer birds yielded remains of Uca and unidentified seed material.- R. 1. satu1·atus was the only subspecies found during winter and summer surveys. Clapper rails are permanent residents several remote off-shore islands and along the Alabama Gulf Coast. They are other less accessible coastal regions were found in sound and bay areas and along thought to afford an unknown potential coastal rivers and creeks where salt­ for rail habitat. Earlier field work also marshes and brackish-mixed vegetation suggested a need to determine pro­ persist. Little is known of the biology ductivity and to gather more concrete of clapper rails in this area. This popu­ life history data. lation has not been subjected to hunter Clapper rails have always been abun­ hmvest in Alabama (Mangold, 1977), dant in Alabama tidal marshes. In earlier where rail hunting IS practically years there were significant stretches of nonexistent. The lack of extensive marshland along the shores of Mississippi habitat and significant high tides that Sound, Mobile, Weeks, Bon Secour and would concentrate large numbers of birds Perdido Bays. Surveys begun by the in small areas probably accounts for the Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1856 lack of hunting pressures. Thick marsh mapped almost twice the area of tide­ vegetation and shallow water even at lands that are present today. Howell high tides discourage hunters from using (1928) reported the clapper rail plentiful boats and dogs. on Dauphin and Petit Bois Islands and It was thought that northern races in the Perdido Bay marshes. He also may winter along the Alabama coast. found it on Blakely Island in Mobile Field observations in the late 1960's River and in the marshes around Bayou suggested that concentrations of these la Batre. The coastal marshes of Alabama birds used certain areas for nesting, and began to decline noticeably by the early that the local population experienced an 1950's (personal observations). By the increase during the winter. Moreover, mid 1960's low areas along the Mississippi Sound and the bay areas of Baldwin 1 County were filled with dredge spoil, This research was funded by the Accelerated and much of the existing natural beaches Research Program for Migratory Shore and Up­ were replaced by seawalls (Traylor, land Game Birds, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Ser­ vice, Contract No. 14-16-000-8-703, July 1, 1971). In 1969 tropical storm Camille 1973 to August 31, 1976. virtually destroyed the exisiting marsh- 24 Published by The Aquila Digital Community, 1978 1 Gulf of Mexico Science, Vol. 2 [1978], No. 1, Art. 2 Clapper Rail in Alabama 25 land on the west end of Dauphin Island. from 5 to 15 ppt at least part ofthe year. Crance ( 19 71) recorded approximately This habitat type is characterized by S. 19,357 acres of emergent plants in alterniflora and giant cord grass, S. Mississippi Sound, Mobile Bay, Perdido cynosuroides. S. alterniflora may be Bay and Little Lagoon. Chermock greatly reduced and typically forms thin (1975) tabulated approximately 15,052 borders around brackish-marshes. S. acres of tidal marshland in these areas. cynosuroides is usually found at slightly However, he included 781 acres of higher elevations and is generally more fresh-mixed marsh. Vittor and Stout abundant than S. alterniflora. Other (1975) mapped nearly 16,000 acres of dominating plants in brackish-mixed salt marsh and brackish-mixed marsh in marshes include J. romerianus, Distichlis the Alabama coastal zone. Imhof (1976) spicata (salt grass), Borrichia frutescens described the clapper rail to be abundant (sea ox-eye), and Scirpus spp. (three but strictly confined to salt marshes. square). Sagittaria falcata (duck potato) Holliman (1977) reviewed the status of generally marks the transition zone be­ rail and gallinule habitat on a range wide tween brackish-mixed and fresh-mixed basis and projected a ten year manage­ marshes. ment plan for these wetland resources. Within both salt and brackish-mixed The purpose of this paper is to de­ marshes saltbush communities may be scribe the existing habitat and dis­ present in areas of raised elevations. tribution of Rallus longirostris, Boddoert Baccharis halimifolia (saltbush), and in Alabama, and include life history data Iva frutescens (marsh elder) characterize and field techniques. this plant association. Saltflat communities may interdigitate the inland border of both salt and MATERIALS AND METHODS brackish-mixed marshes. These exposed areas are inundated only by very high Description of habitat wind tides and excessive water run-off. In the northern Gulf Coast portion of High soil salt concentrations are present. their range clapper rails are found in both Typically the saltflats are barren with salt and brackish-mixed marshes. In terms the exception of scattered communities of vegetation patterns these habitats are of spp. (glasswort), not usually clearly defined but blend Salicornia Batis (saltwort), and inseparably one into the other. maritima D. spicata certain bluegreen algae and diatoms. "Pure" saltmarshes are subject to con­ stant tidal flooding and experience salinjties over 15 ppt at least part of the Selection of Study Areas year. This habitat type is characterized Small units of cover were selected so by smooth cord grass, Spartina alterni­ that detailed vegetative and population flora, which is most abundant where studies could be made. Likely-looking wave action is mitigated and accretion locations for study areas were examined occurs. Saltmarshes also contain in­ by air, then reached by truck or boat clusions of black needle-rush, ]uncus and subsequently explored on foot. Areas roemerianus, at slightly higher elevations. were closely examined where there were Brackish-mixed marshes, on the other abundant signs such as old nests, tracks, hand, are subject to fresh water, some or evidence of feeding. Numerous calls tidal flooding and experience salinities as well as flushed birds led to the final https://aquila.usm.edu/goms/vol2/iss1/2 2 DOI: 10.18785/negs.0201.02 Holliman: Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris) Studies in Alabama 26 D. C. Holliman selection of specific study areas. The Todd (1972). Counts were made in each boundaries of each location were esta­ study area during May, June and July of blished at the fartherest points that each year. The survey was conducted by clapper rail signs could be found in all playing the eastern clapper "Kek" and directions. These parameters were mea­ "Clatter" call at 50 meter intervals along sured on the ground and checked against the transect. The number of stops where topographical maps and aerial photo­ the tape was played varied according to graphs (See Fig. 1 ). A digital planimeter the length of the transect. Various hours was used to compute exact acreage for were tried to determine the most pro­ each tract. A transect was then plotted ductive periods of the day. Weather data as close to the longitudinal axis of each were collected and recorded. If readings area as possible. These transects necessar­ exceeded 2 (Beaufort scale) for either ily conformed to local topography and sky or wind the count was not made. ran the entire length of each study area. Taped calls were broadcast with a port­ They served as both call count routes and able Sony TC 900 tape recorder (use of transects for vegetative studies. V ege­ brand names does not imply endorsement tative data were gathered (m2) at 50 by the Federal Government). Both meter intervals along the transect. solicited and unsolicited calls were re­ corded only in one direction along the Census Technique transect to prevent counting the same A census technique was developed to birds twice. This technique of using locate concentrations of birds in the taped calls on a portable tape recorder study areas. The technique of using mag­ was also used to locate clapper rails in netically taped calls on a portable tape bay areas and along rivers. The boat was recorder was followed as described by stopped in likely areas where responses Varoujean (1972) and Tomlinson and could be elicited. This method proved MOBILE BAY 30° BON SECOUR BAY MISSISSIPPI SOUND GULF OF MEXICO ss• 88° 10' Fig.