Water rails active

[Jersali]

I have seen 2 individual water rails today and a total of 4 calling, only ever heard (rarely) single birds previously, but this was constant - later afternoon shortly before sunset.
Would this be territorial or courting behaviour?
Can anybody tell me please?

[Dogghound]

It can be quite complex as you have only heard several birds calling its quite tricky to say for sure. Water rails tend to be solitary outside the breeding season, although small groups are sometimes encountered together, particularly when habitat quality is good, or rates of predation are high. Often when birds are in high densities they still occupy small territories. Birds often advertise their territory (winter and breeding) at dusk before roosting as well as through the night and day. Birds call all year, but certainly increase around breeding territory establishment and breeding. I suspect you are hearing birds in their winter territory as it is a little to early for breeding territory establishment (or at least I have never heard or witnessed it this early with the birds around here). I would expect breeding/courting calls to start around mid February, thats when they kick off round here. When two or more territories are close together birds tend to be more vocal, when a pair is on its own away from other birds you fine they are more quiet (and harder to find).

The time of day you have heard them is also more indicative of territorial behaviour. Most courtship occurs early in the day (with some such as feeding extending further into the day).

EDIT: Not to sure why that thumbs down symbol is on the thread or how to get rid of it.

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

EDIT: Not to sure why that thumbs down symbol is on the thread or how to get rid of it.

A slip of the mouse Dan - I've removed it.

Dave P.

[Dogghound]

Cheers Dave thanks.

In the 10,000 posts ive had on WAB, that is the first time ive noticed them, which is slightly worrying.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by pressld2

A slip of the mouse Dan - I've removed it.

I've noticed the 'thumbs up' and 'thumbs down' symbols in a thread before. Who puts them in and what criteria do they use?

Jim

[pressld2]

The poster puts them in. When composing a post you have the smilies on the right hand side which, when clicked, are inserted in the post. But there is also a selection of icons below where you type the post and you can select one of these if you wish. I've selected the smiley for this post.

Apologies for tacking the thread off topic Jersali, although you won't get a better answer than Dan's anyway!

Dave P.

[Jersali]

Thanks Dan, was hoping you would be a respondee