Ridgway’s Rail Surveying Project Updates and Conclusion

On the evening of August 14, the signal from Rail #3 was no longer heard. The survey was thus concluded. While we had now lost touch with all of our three Rails, our surveying helped demonstrate that the Buena Vista Lagoon provides the Ridgway’s rail’s basic needs for foraging opportunities and shelter.  We also believe that the lost signals are very likely the result of transmitter battery failure or dislodgment, rather than ill fortune for the Rails.  We can’t know the fate of the Rails for sure, of course, but the fact that we proved a Rail can survive for 38 days seems significant. We are hoping to continue the Rail release and monitoring in the future. Stay tuned!