rail identification at Chico Basin Ranch

[Nathan Pieplow]

Hi everybody,

Excited by reports of King Rail at Chico Basin Ranch, I headed down there yesterday with my recording equipment. I ran into Brian Genge and we spent some time trying to confirm a King Rail at the headquarters marsh, without success.

Brian shared a recording with me from early in the morning of a "kee-kee-kee-keer" call that apparently caused some excitement yesterday, but the recording represents the "kicker" call (or female song) of Virginia Rail. You can hear it here:

https://ebird.org/checklist/S239386940

Compare to the female song of Virginia Rail:

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/23137

We also recorded some interesting "Keek" / "Keer" sounds in the marsh which are a better match for Virginia than King, and a weird low grunt series that is different from anything I've heard from Virginia before, but even more different from what King usually does. You can hear my recordings from yesterday here:

https://ebird.org/checklist/S239336195

Bottom line: I want to believe there is/was a King Rail at Chico, but I haven't yet seen any audio recording or verbal description on eBird that convincingly rules out Virginia Rail.

If anybody feels disappointed, let me just say that vocal identification of rails is legendarily fraught. The female song of Virginia Rail took many years to identify properly, spawning a whole saga in the scientific literature (partly referenced in the second link above). Those of us who point microphones at marshes quickly become familiar with frustration.

That said, I strongly encourage people to do it. Make and upload recordings even if they are terrible in quality. You can always upload under "sp." if you aren't sure. I am happy to review any recordings publicly or privately (or in my capacity as eBird reviewer). Whatever it is that's vocalizing from the Chico Basin marsh, let's get it thoroughly documented.

Good birding all,

Nathan Pieplow

Boulder