First Documentation of King Rail (Rallus elegans) Reproduction in Arkansas Since 2006

Abstract

Abstract. Changing agricultural practices and wetland loss have resulted in the decline in abundance of King Rail (Rallus elegans) populations throughout the southeastern United States, including within the historical breeding range of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley region in eastern Arkansas. Despite a recent increase in coordinated efforts to improve monitoring program for secretive marsh birds and to track trends in population status of the King Rail, successful observations of reproduction by the species are rare throughout much of the historical breeding range. During a field visit and birding trip on 15 June 2018, we obtained photographic documentation of adult and juvenile King Rails in an emergent marsh impoundment on the Freddie Black Choctaw Island Wildlife Management Area Deer Research West Unit in Desha County, Arkansas (eBird Checklist S46788433). This emergent marsh wetland is a product of intensive wetland restoration through the Wetland Reserve Program. This is the first documented observation of King Rail reproduction in Arkansas since 2006. This observation provides a tribute to the Wetland Reserve Program and demonstrates the impacts wetland restoration can have on species of greatest conservation concern. Lastly, the observation is a tribute to the active management program of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission aimed to maintain important emergent marsh wetland habitat conditions for migratory waterbirds during the breeding season.