Endangered birds released at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Staff with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Living Coast Discovery Center and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently released seven endangered birds in Ventura County.

According to a release by the wildlife alliance Thursday, three of the juvenile light-footed Ridgway’s rails hatched at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and were the first chicks of the 2024 season. Check out the images below.

Light-footed Ridgway’s rails were listed as a federally endangered species in 1969 with a population of fewer than 100 pairs, the release stated. Although conservation efforts led to a peak of over 656 pairs in 2016, other factors like ocean inlet closures, predation and changing weather dropped the breeding population by more than half, the release added.

Currently, there are about 266 remaining pairs of light-footed Ridgway’s rails. The birds are known for their gray and brown feathers, long legs and toes and a distinctive short tail. Experts say they make a noticeable clattering or clapping sound during their vocalizations.

Seven were released by the alliance and their conservation allies at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu, which includes 2,200 acres of wetlands. They say the marshes of Mugu Lagoon have over a quarter of the potential habitat for the light-footed Ridgway’s rail, which provides a safe haven for these endangered birds.

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