King Rail

(Rallus elegans)

Status: Endangered (ESA 2006 & SARA 2003)

Table of Contents:

Species Identification
Diet
Habitat and Range
Biology and Behaviour
Similar Species
Threats/Reasons for Being Endangered
Conservation and Recovery Strategies
How You Can Help

Photo by Carol Foil: https://flic.kr/p/9HqnZz

Species Identification:

This crow-sized wetland bird is light brown in colour with black mottling on the back, and white and black barring along the belly. They are slender with a long beak and long legs, and they are the largest species of the rail family. They are often hidden in the vegetation, so they are more easily detected by their call, especially at night. Their common call is a slow and low “gelp-gelp-gelp”, and they also make a loud “kik-kik-kik” up to 10 times in a row.

Diet:

The King Rail feeds primarily on crustaceans, especially crayfish and crabs. They will also eat aquatic insects, some vegetation, fish, frogs, small snakes, small rodents, fruit, and acorns. King Rails wade through shallow waters to look for their next meal, catching them quickly and swallowing most prey whole with their long bill. They like to hunt in the early morning and late afternoon when the day is at its coolest.

Map taken from Cornell Lab: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/King_Rail/maps-range

Habitat and Range:

The King Rail breeds in fresh or brackish water across the Eastern United States ranging from the Gulf of Mexico up to southern Ontario. They overwinter mostly in the coastal marshes and plains of the Gulf of Mexico. The King Rail is notoriously secretive and hard to detect in surveys, so more systematic studies are needed to determine all locations. King Rails in Ontario have primarily been observed in the southwestern regions by Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, and along Lake Ontario. There have been some occasional sightings further inland, including select areas of The Land Between.

They require a fairly complex wetland habitat that has both wet and dry areas. The term “Hemi-Marsh” is used to describe these habitats that have a mix of open water and densely vegetated areas. They tend to live in shallow water, though a range of depths is preferred for feeding. Herbaceous material is used for cover, stabilization while walking, and as a material for their nests.

Southern Ontario is the very northern extent of the King Rail’s range. Their numbers are declining due to the degradation and fragmentation of wetlands in North America. About 90% of King Rails have been lost in the past 50 years.

Biology and Behaviour:

King Rails return to their Ontario breeding sites in April and build their nest systems on the ground amongst grasses and sedges. During courting, a male King Rail will strut with his tail in the air to show the white under feathers. They will also chase females, and bring them food. The males will do most of the work, building a herbaceous canopy over the nest, and ramps leading down to the water, as well as a few other “sample” nests that are not used, and some that will be used by chicks for shelter later on. Their clutch size is 8-10 eggs, which are incubated by both parents for about three weeks. Both parents will care for their young for about two months.

Predators include snakes, skunks, foxes, minks, snapping turtles, and several raptors. Domestic cats are increasingly becoming a major predator in more urban areas.

Similar Species:

The King Rail looks similar to the Virginia Rail, except it is about twice as big. It also lacks the grey patches on their cheeks
Least Bittern also looks like the King Rail, but has a thicker bill and solid black back feathers

Threats/ Reasons for being at Risk:

1. Loss or degradation of habitat: For centuries, wetlands have been converted for human use from agricultural fields to suburbs. This is especially a problem in the southwestern part of Ontario where 70% of historical wetlands are gone. There was a time where wetlands were seen as “wasted space”, but today we have realized just how beneficial they are to not only us, but thousands of species. The King Rail is not the only species of bird that is now being threatened due to wetland loss, and as development and urbanization continues to move northward, more wetland habitats are at risk.

2. Invasive species: Invasive species are a huge issue for wetland habitats, especially the European Common Reed, or phragmites. Other European species like Purple Loosestrife, Reed canary grass, Flowering Rush and Hybrid cattail are also altering wetland habitats and making it harder for the King Rail to find natural grasses, reeds, and sedges to build nests. The Common Carp is also influencing sediment and nutrient loads of lakes, and thereby decreasing the invertebrate populations available for food.

3. Predation: Habitat fragmentation from development makes wetland species more vulnerable to predators, since many predators have learned to hunt along the edges between urban areas and natural landscapes. Predation from feral cats is also a growing problem, as housing development moves closer to wetlands and King Rail habitat.

5. Climate change: King Rails and their prey are very susceptible to changes in water levels. Drought and flooding are both more common as climate change becomes an increasing threat. Climate change also favours invasive species and predators in urban settings.

Conservation and recovery strategies:

There has been very little research done on Ontario populations of King Rail, so one of the recovery priorities is to increase systematic surveys and assess wetlands for their habitat potential. Further studies will also help narrow down which threats to address. The Ontario recovery strategy also prioritizes protecting and restoring wetlands in areas where these birds are known to occur. They encourage the incorporation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge into all plans. Community outreach to gather existing knowledge has also taken place in some areas.

How can you help?

Keep a wide vegetated buffer (riparian zone) around wetlands and other bodies of water on your property.
Ensure pets cannot enter wetland areas either on your property or while on walks.
Do not direct bright lights towards the wetland or water.
Report any sightings to the NHIC (here).
Manage invasive species on your property. Join local organizations to help remove invasive species (e.g. Phragmites).
Advocate for wetland protection to your local government.

Additional Resources:

Ontario Nature article
Birds of North America page
2016 Ontario King Rail Recovery Strategy
COSEWIC 2011 Assessment and Status Report

Sources:

Kraus, Talena. 2016. Recovery Strategy for the King Rail (Rallus elegans) in Ontario. Ontario Recovery Strategy Series. Prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, Ontario. v + 8 pp. + Appendix.

Pickens, B. A. and B. Meanley (2018). King Rail (Rallus elegans), version 3.1. In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bna.kinrai4.02.1