| Artificial habitat supplementation is a valuable management tool for species facing population declines due to habitat loss, such as the federally endangered light-footed Ridgway’s rail (Rallus obsoletus levipes). The majority of this rail’s endemic coastal salt marsh habitat has been developed, and remaining habitat is threatened by degradation, fragmentation, and sea-level rise. Currently, artificial rafts in several southern California marshes provide supplemental habitat for nesting and high tide refugia; however, factors impacting the use of these rafts by rails have not been examined. Predators have also been documented using rafts, potentially precluding safe use by rails. I predicted that the frequency with which rails and rail predators use artificial rafts will vary with (1) abiotic conditions (2) surrounding habitat characteristics and (3) landscape features of the area where rafts are placed. During this study, differences have been discovered in the frequency of use of individual rafts using camera traps and artificial raft checks by qualified biologists. While results are preliminary, the insights from this study will help determine how to most effectively allocate management resources and bolster the light-footed Ridgway’s rail population. |