The Yuma Ridgway’s rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis) is a federally endangered bird endemic to wetlands throughout the Lower Colorado River Basin and the Salton Sea. Emergent wetlands within the limited geographic range of this rail are fragmented and embedded in a landscape dominated by desert, human development, and agriculture. Rails are notoriously difficult to study due to their secretive behaviors and inaccessible habitat. We have been researching Yuma Ridgway’s rails over the last decade, focusing on two main objectives. Our first objective was to document annual movements by Yuma Ridgway’s rails throughout their U.S. range (California, Arizona, and Nevada). We deployed satellite GPS transmitters on rails (n=270) from 2016–2025. Our second objective was to document and compare selenium levels in rails, eggs, and prey between ag-fed and river-fed marshes. We collected blood and feather samples from rails, eggshell and unhatched egg samples from nests, and prey samples from within rail home ranges (2020–2025). Key findings from our research include: rail populations exhibit partial migration to Mexico, selenium concentrations were highest in samples collected from ag-fed marshes, and rails foraging in ag-fed marshes had lower nesting success. Together, these findings inform habitat management and targeted conservation planning for Yuma Ridgway’s rails.