King Rail ( Rallus elegans ) response to audio playback: implications for population estimation, monitoring methodology, and trapping approach

Abstract

. Conspecific audio can be broadcast to improve detection probability (detectability) of secretive marsh bird species for population monitoring purposes and as a lure to more effectively trap individuals. Our primary objective was to describe King Rail ( Rallus elegans ) detectability as a function of distance and so determine if the distance sampling assumption of perfect detectability immediately adjacent to survey points was violated during call-broadcast surveys. We also described what factors affected King Rail detectability during audio broadcast surveys, and how and when this species was detected