Louisiana Master Naturalists of Greater New Orleans

Free. Participants must register in advance. To register, send an email request to: OrleansAudubon@aol.comwith “Black Rail” as the subject line and include your full name in the body of the email message. If participating by phone, also include your phone number. Please register as soon as possible and at least two hours prior to the start of the meeting.

Conservation of the Endangered Black Rail in Louisiana

Presented by Dr. Erik Johnson

The Black Rail is one of the hardest birds to find in North America, and Louisiana had only 13 documented records prior to 2017. Meanwhile, the species has been disappearing from its Atlantic Coast range, by up to 90% over the last 25 years, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began a process to consider adding the Black Rail to the Endangered Species Act. Audubon researchers with support from the USFWS and LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in 2017-2019 conducted the first focused search for Black Rails in Louisiana, which resulted in 83 detections, and a first glimpse of the species’ habitat preferences. In a new research collaborative across the Gulf of Mexico, research and conservation organizations are working to understand how to preserve and restore Black Rail habitat before the threats of coastal development and sea level rise drive the species to extinction, which has been predicted to occur by 2068 without immediate action. Join Dr. Erik Johnson, Director of Conservation Science with Audubon Delta, to learn about these secretive and amazing birds, and how you can help ensure their survival.