Timing of Autumn Rail Migration in Missouri

Monitoring and conserving waterbirds in Missouri, including Sora (Porzana carolina), Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola), and Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis), are constrained by the lack of information on migration phenology. Understanding the timing of a species’ migration is as important as knowing the species’ habitat needs and stopover ecology. Awareness regarding the time of year that habitat is needed is vital to inform habitat management, especially in highly ephemeral habitats such as palustrine emergent wetlands. Public wetlands across the central United States, including Missouri, are typically managed as migratory bird stopover habitat, with a focus on waterfowl; other wetland-dependent bird species, including rails, also use
these habitats although the timing of their need is less well known.