Preliminary assessment of thermal imaging equipped aerial drones for secretive marsh bird detection

Rails are a highly secretive group of marshland obligate species that difficult to consistently survey and detect. Current efforts utilize either call–playback or autonomous recording devices, but the low detection probabilities for rails create challenges long-term systematic monitoring. Between 8 April 16 May 2022, we flew small aerial drone equipped with thermal camera six rail (Black Rail ( Laterallus jamaicensis), Yellow Coturnicops noveboracensis), Sora Porzana carolina), Virginia Rallus limicola), Clapper crepitans), King elegans)) along Gulf Coast Texas assess feasibility We successfully conducted 33 flights at 15 m above ground level detected on first visit 42% known occupied points. achieved 27 total detections, including 12 Black Rail/Yellow detections. Of birds detected, 81% exhibited no response drone’s approach. intend this preliminary data shape future protocol occupying navigate terrain.