NATURAL HISTORY OF THE KING RA.IL 



49 



roadside ditch habitat, the large courtship-feeding territories of the 

 first contingent tend to shrink. 



Initial occupation of territories is indicated by the mating call. 

 During the last week in February and the first week in March 1955, one 

 male King Kail gave the mating call at various points along 975 linear 

 feet of roadside ditch. By the second week in March its mating call 

 was heard from about 500 feet of roadside ditch; its territory then 

 was about half its original size. The diminishing of the territory was 

 caused by: (a) Pressure from another courting male, (h) burning of 

 cover along part of the ditch bank within the original calling territory, 

 and (c) relatively modest territorial requirements for nesting, particu- 

 larly if there is plenty of water and ample aquatic animal life for food 

 in the area about the nest. 



Approximate sizes of nesting territories were determined by meas- 

 uring the distances between three active nests in the same ditch ; from 

 the center nest it was 298 feet to the nest on one side and 166 feet to 

 the nest on the other side. The ditch was about 30 feet wide at all three 

 points. 



Defense of territories 



King Kails defend their territories both inter- and intra-specifically. 

 When another King Kail invades a territory, the possessor often pre- 

 pares to charge by coming to a "freeze," assuming a partial crouch, 

 drawing in its neck, and slowly mffling its feathers. It then chases the 

 intruder on foot and on the wing. 



As additional King Kails move into suitable nesting habitat, there 

 is much fighting, particularly near boundaries of the more desirable 

 territories. I observed a typical skirmish in a narrow ditch bordering 

 a secondary road on April 21, 1955. At this unstable territorial bound- 

 ary, two males attacked each other with bill and claws, sparring like 

 fighting cocks for about 20 seconds. Then the battle suddenly ended, 

 and the birds moved in opposite directions. 



On April 22, 1955, in a rice stubble which appeared to be a common 

 feeding ground for the occupants of the adjacent section of roadside 

 ditch, two males (each already paired) "squared off'' in a bitter 

 encounter lasting 3 minutes. There was much chasing both on foot 

 and on the wing and clashing "fighting cock style." W. E. D. Scott 

 (Bent, 1926, p. 287-288) reported similar fighting by Clapper Kails 

 {Rallus longirostris scotti) during the courtship period : 



"During the mating season the male birds are very pugnacious and resent 

 any intrusions from others of the species. At such time I have seen them have 

 pitched battles, and finally, one giving in and taking to flight, the victor would 

 pursue the vanquished on the wing for several hundred feet . . . 



Sora Kails, migrating through the Arkansas rice country in spring, 

 frequent roadside ditches occupied by King Kails on established nest- 



