V-B-33 



Roth, R.R., J.D. Newsom, T. Joanen, and L.L. McNease. 1972. The daily 

 and seasonal behavior patterns of the clapper rail ( Rallus longirostris ) 

 in the Louisiana coastal marshes. Proceedings of the Twenty-sixth 

 Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish 

 Commissioners, pp. 136-147. 



The objectives of this study were to determine: (1) daily and 

 seasonal movements and activity patterns of clapper rails in Louisiana 

 coastal marshes, and (2) their seasonal food habits in different habitat 

 types. The authors constructed 12 miniature radio transmitters and attached 

 them to clapper rails to achieve the first objective of this study. 

 The period of contact for the instrumented rails ranged from 7 to 47 

 days. The results of the radio telemetry study indicated that Louisiana 

 clapper rails have an average minimum home range of 168 yards along 

 canals and tidal ditches in the summer and 533 yards in winter. One 

 instrumented rail was preyed upon by a mink. The food habits study 

 on clapper rails collected in the salt and brackish marshes indicated 

 that the bulk of their diet during the summer consists of fiddler 

 crabs. In the winter, fiddler crabs become less important while 

 crayfish and snails become more important. (A. A.) 



Keywords: clapper rail, food habits, coastal marshes, Louisiana 



V-B-34 



Bateman, H.A., Jr. 1965. Clapper rail ( Rallus longirostris ) studies on 



Grand Terre Island, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Louisiana Wild Life 



and Fisheries Commission, Baton Rouge. 144 pp. 



The objectives of the study were to investigate and develop methods 

 of trapping, field marking, and external sexing and aging of clapper 

 rails. Fall food habits, internal parasites, censusing, and nesting 

 were also investigated. 



Analysis of gizzard contents revealed that the clapper rail's diet 

 in the fall consists largely of small crabs and snails. Nesting observations 

 revealed that the nesting ecology of clapper rails in Louisiana is 

 probably similar to that of clapper rails in other states. (A. A., 

 modified) 



Keywords: clapper rails, food habits, Louisiana 



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