Reproductive behavior, habitat use, phenology and morphometry of the Austral Rail (Rallus antarcticus), obtained through photographic, capture and banding records
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Keywords:
Rallus antarcticus, Austral Rail, Patagonia, ArgentinaAbstract
We studied the Austral Rail (Rallus antarcticus, Vulnerable, BirdLife 2025) in a 22.5-hectare aquatic reedbed in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, following the removal of cattle and the restoration of vegetation cover. Using a combination of transmitters, camera traps, and Tomahawk traps, we established that the Austral Rail has two breeding events per year and constitutes a partially migratory population. We also obtained missing biometric and biomass data. During the study, it was possible to learn about their behavior, activity schedules, reproductive phenology, and other aspects such as feeding and parental care.
The proportion of individuals that abandon their territories during the winter (partial migrants) return in spring, stablishing new territories each year and changing locations. Rails are seen much less frequently in winter, partly because they vocalize less, and partly because the reed bed freezes and no individuals are seen, while in areas where it does not freeze, individuals concentrate, but part of the population disappears.
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