Buff Banded Rail In Killarney Poem by Francis Duggan

In Killarney by the ocean birds i sometimes see
Though shy in their ways familiar to me
In the caravan park there a pair of them reside
The moment they sense danger they run to cover to hide
Dark gray to chestnut brown birds with buff band on breast
The female lays five to eleven yellowish blotched eggs in a grass and reed cup shaped nest
In or near water where reeds and rank scrub abound
They never venture far from trees and bush covered ground
Their secret of survival is to be secretive and shy
From danger they run to cover they seldom do fly
Of any danger to them they are quick to become aware
Birds not often seen but not known to be rare
In Killarney by the ocean them i sometimes see
But one glimpse of me and to cover they quickly do flee.