Locations and management strategies for prioritizing King Rail conservation efforts in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Abstract King Rail populations, like those of many wetland‐dependent waterbirds, have declined throughout much of their range due primarily to habitat loss and degradation. The Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) is a broad region where King Rails have declined precipitously. In this practical guide to King Rail conservation, we used results from an existing Bayesian network (BN) analysis to predict where King Rails are most likely to occur in the MAV. Then, we identified 28 properties with a conservation focus in this region where we predicted that King Rail habitat management efforts would be most effective. Although managers of most of these properties may not focus on King Rail habitat, management efforts at a wetland complex in the MAV have already resulted in what appears to be high‐quality King Rail habitat. We describe the management activities that have been implemented at this property to provide guidance for others interested in creating conditions amenable to King Rail use. We also present opinions of King Rail experts who contributed to our BN models and describe how current knowledge could be used to achieve conservation goals meant to benefit King Rails and other waterbirds throughout the MAV. Practical implication: Our results could assist efforts to identify, improve and/or create habitat for King Rails.