Environmental Information Management System

Planning and Operational measures for the oil and gas sector

Species | B-YERA - Yellow Rail

General Information

Name: Yellow Rail

Phylum: Craniata

Class: Aves

Order: Gruiformes

Family: Rallidae

Scientific: Coturnicops noveboracensis

Key Habitat Features

  • Wetlands with emergent vegetation (e.g., cattails, bulrushes), grass or sedge marshes, wet meadows, bogs with thick, soft mats of vegetation.
  • Nest in shallow water zones (8-15 cm) of suitable habitat.

Objectives

  • Minimize disturbance during the breeding season.
  • Maintain nesting habitat throughout all seasons.
  • Maintain desired plant communities and key habitat features.

Planning and Operational Measures

Planning Measures

All Activities

  • Identify key habitat features using appropriate measures (i.e. QP direction, desktop review, field confirmation, etc) and plan activities within the operating area accordingly.
  • Time works such that they occur outside of the critical timing window.

 

Operational Measures

All Activities:

  • Undertake construction and operation of oil and gas activities in a manner that minimizes impacts to desired plant communities and key habitat features.
     

Timing considerations when working within identified habitat:

  • Avoid disturbance and/or clearing activities during the critical timing window from May 1 to July 31.