Media release from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has prepared a draft recovery plan for the Eastern black rail, a tiny, secretive marsh bird. Listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2020, the bird’s draft recovery plan is now available here:
The Service is seeking review and comment on this draft recovery plan from local, state, and federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the public until September 15, 2025.
Specifically, we are seeking submission of any information that enhances the necessary understanding of the (1) species biology and threats and (2) recovery needs and related implementation issues or concerns. This ensures that we have assembled, considered, and incorporated the best available scientific and commercial information into the draft recovery plan for this species.
To promote and support the conservation and survival of endangered and threatened species, and provide a transparent path to achieving recovery, the Service and its partners develop and implement recovery plans. These plans are crucial for coordinating efforts and resources towards conserving endangered or threatened species, providing hope for these species’ future. The recovery plan drafted for the eastern black rail includes specific criteria for delisting the species, removing it from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, as well as site-specific actions that will be necessary to meet those criteria and the estimated time and costs required for implementing these actions.
The kickee-doo call of the eastern black rail was once heard throughout interior and coastal wetlands of the eastern United States (east of the Rocky Mountains), Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Now the rail exists in small populations within this range. Most of the populations where the eastern black rail still lives and breeds are found in the southeastern coastal states and the Gulf of America. Primary threats to the eastern black rail are habitat loss and degradation. Coastal populations, where most of the birds are found, are vulnerable to sea level rise, floods, and hurricanes.
The Service’s draft recovery plan outlines recovery actions that, over a period of 60 years, will provide for the restoration and creation of the bird’s habitat. Protection of the black rail’s habitat protects people, as well as numerous animal and plant species, because marshes have well-anchored root systems that buffer coastlines from erosion and flooding. Because the eastern black rail has a large historic range, habitat work for this species will benefit numerous other species across the country. Some species listed under the ESA that may benefit from marsh and wetland recovery work include manatees, American crocodiles, Florida panthers and sea turtles. Other species benefitting from marsh habitat include the wood stork, bald eagle, seaside sparrow, saltmarsh sparrow, black duck, osprey, great blue heron, marsh wren, clapper rail, shellfish, blue crab, shrimp, bottlenose dolphin, mink, raccoon, marsh rabbit, and salt marsh snake.
The estimated cost of implementing eastern black rail recovery actions is about $420,270,169. Habitat-focused activities such as restoration, creation, and management will be the most costly.
Factoring in the ongoing and increasing impacts of sea level rise, it is anticipated that sustained, active habitat work will be required to support the majority of future populations. We have assessed the costs of implementing habitat-based projects range-wide by reviewing the budgets and goals of such projects from a variety of sources. This assessment resulted in an estimated average restoration/creation cost per acre of $21,322. To support recovery of the subspecies, it is estimated that at least 42,632 acres range-wide will require some form of habitat work. This estimate incorporates an average home-range size of 5.75 acres and assumes that future habitat efforts will need to support future population targets.
Public participation is vital in shaping these plans and can help ensure these plans are effective and successful. For more information on the Eastern black rail, visit the Species Profile here:
Species Profile for Eastern black rail(Laterallus jamaicensis ssp. jamaicensis)
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit https://www.fws.gov/program/southeast-region. Connect with us on social media: Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Flickr, and YouTube.
