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Title: Endangered%20Cranes%20of%20the%20Pacific%20Flyway


1
Endangered Cranes of the Pacific Flyway
Thomas J Hoffmann Chair, West Coast Crane Working
Group www.wccwg.nacwg.org
2
The West Coast Crane Working Group
  • The West Coast Crane Working Group (WCCWG) is a
    regional technical workgroup of the North
    American Crane Working Group (NACWG). The NACWG
    is a member of the Crane Specialist Group of the
    Species Survival Commission of The World
    Conservation Union (IUCN) based in Gland,
    Switzerland. 

3
The West Coast Crane Working Group
  •  
  • promotes science-based research on crane
    conservation and management 
  • fosters better understanding and appreciation of
    cranes and their habitat among the general public
    and 
  • addresses conservation issues affecting cranes
    and their wetland habitats. 
  • The Working Group accomplishes these goals
    through research, education, and advocacy.

4
Total Number of Sandhill Cranes (SACR) by Date and Behavior (1roost, 2feed, 3flyover) Total Number of Sandhill Cranes (SACR) by Date and Behavior (1roost, 2feed, 3flyover) Total Number of Sandhill Cranes (SACR) by Date and Behavior (1roost, 2feed, 3flyover) Total Number of Sandhill Cranes (SACR) by Date and Behavior (1roost, 2feed, 3flyover)
Note Count the sum of the median class values Note Count the sum of the median class values Note Count the sum of the median class values Note Count the sum of the median class values

Date Species Behavior Count
11-Mar-03 SACR 1 1501
11-Mar-03 SACR 2 62
11-Mar-03 SACR 3 6
12-Mar-03 SACR 1 31
12-Mar-03 SACR 2 62
13-Mar-03 SACR 2 2087
14-Mar-03 SACR 2 669
14-Mar-03 SACR 3 194
15-Mar-03 SACR 2 729
17-Mar-03 SACR 2 62
18-Mar-03 SACR 1 3501
18-Mar-03 SACR 2 502
19-Mar-03 SACR 2 840
01-Apr-03 SACR 2 2052
07-Apr-03 SACR 1 7300
08-Apr-03 SACR 1 351
09-Apr-03 SACR 1 7959
09-Apr-03 SACR 2 12195
11-Apr-03 SACR 2 4065
15-Apr-03 SACR 2 4500
17-Apr-03 SACR 2 62
5
Randy Hill on Othello
  • It is obvious that the Potholes area, mostly
    areas west of Othello on the Royal Slope and the
    Crab Creek area, are the most important stopover
    during both spring and fall migration for the
    Pacific Population of Lesser Sandhill Cranes
    nesting in southern AK and wintering in CA. 
  • I believe this is due to a combination of several
    roost sites that are grazed or developed for duck
    club shallow water habitat, and the mix of
    pasture and corn, including an increasing role
    that Columbia NWR (and maybe duck clubs) are
    playing in delaying cultivation of corn in the
    spring.

6
WEST COAST SANDHILL CRANE STUDY
  • A satellite telemetry project sponsored by the
    West Coast Crane Working Group, in partnership
    with Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge (U.S.
    Fish and Wildlife Service) and Sauvie Island
    Wildlife Area (Oregon Department of Fish and
    Wildlife), with funding contributed by the Paul
    L. King Charitable Foundation, The
    Foley/Frischkorn Wildlife and Conservation Fund,
    Chevron Research and Technology Company, and
    other appreciated supporters.
  • Gary L. Ivey, Thomas J. Hoffmann, and Caroline P.
    Herziger.

7
Gary Ivey and Sandy
8
Caroline Herziger and Sandy
9
INTRODUCTION
  • There are three subspecies or races of sandhill
    cranes (Grus canadensis) that occur in Washington
    and Oregon. The greater (G. c. tabida) breeds,
    while some Canadian (G. c. rowani) and lesser (G.
    c. canadensis) sandhill cranes stop in these
    states during migration between their northern
    breeding grounds and wintering grounds in
    California, with some staying to winter along the
    Columbia River near Vancouver and Portland.
  • The greater sandhill crane is the largest, the
    lesser the smallest, and the Canadian
    intermediate in size. In Washington state, the
    sandhill crane is considered an Endangered
    Species, while in Oregon, the greater sandhill
    crane is classified as Sensitive.

10
Sandy the Sandhill Crane
  • Where do I live?
  • Where do I travel?
  • Who is out to get me?
  • Who am I?
  • Greater
  • Canadian
  • Lesser

11
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12
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13
Study Area
14
Gateway
15
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16
Gateway
17
Ridgefield
18
POPULATION STATUS OF FALL-MIGRANT SANDHILL CRANES
ALONG THE LOWER COLUMBIA RIVER, 2003
REPORTJoseph D. Engler1, Eric D. Anderson1 and
Mark A. Stern21 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Complex,
Ridgefield, Washington2 The Nature Conservancy
of Oregon, Portland, Oregon
  • On 7 October 2003, twelve observers counted 4041
    cranes at nine roost sites at Ridgefield NWR,
    Sturgeon Lake on Sauvie Island WMA, and Vancouver
    Lake, WA.

19
More Relatives
  • Overall, the total population estimated in 2003
    is consistent with the 5-year average of 3918
    cranes estimated in the population since 1998.
    The current population is approximately 20
    higher than the 12-year average of 3342 cranes.

20
  1991 1992 1993 2001 2002 2002 2003
  2-Oct 7-Oct 30-Sep 9-Oct 8-Oct 21-Oct 7-Oct
Ridgefield NWR              
Campbell Lk. 866 291 441 1429 165 945 543
Bachelor Is. 0 0 ns 10 66 563 1245
River "S" ns ns ns 0 ns ns 0
P.O. Lake ns ns ns 0 ns 0 0
Fowler Lk. ns ns ns 443 104 5 40
Roth/RVS Dike ns ns ns ns 0 ns 0
Vancouver Lake ns 40 ns 327 0 400 192
               
WA Total 866 331 441 2209 335 1913 2020
21
  1991 1992 1993 2001 2002 2002 2003
  2-Oct 7-Oct 30-Sep 9-Oct 8-Oct 21-Oct 7-Oct
Sauvie Isl. WMA              
Rentenaar Pt. ns 257 595 ns ns 750 ns
The Narrows 851 341 537 721 835 360 495
E. Lobe Stur. Lk ns ns ns 94 83 ns 297
The Wash ns ns ns 358 2100 1070 539
Coon Point 1517 289 1460 702 150 100 690
               
OR Total 2368 887 2592 1875 3168 2280 2021

               
Grand Total 3234 1218 3033 4084 3503 4193 4041
22
Where Sandy Sleeps
  • The seasonal and annual difference in specific
    roost site utilization is likely a result of
    water levels, tidal fluctuations, habitat
    conditions, the location of food resources, and
    disturbances (such as waterfowl hunting).
  • The inter-relationship between these various
    factors and their effect on night roost selection
    is not understood

23
Roost Shift
  • A significant roost shift occurred on the
    Ridgefield sites in 2003. Bachelor Island where
    1245 cranes were counted was more than double any
    previous count.
  • A number of factors may have contributed to this
    shift
  • 1) low water conditions on Canvasback Lake which
    resulted in extensive mudflats suitable for
    roosting,
  • 2) proximity of the roost to corn crops,
  • 3) the lack of disturbance from the hunting club
    which owns Canvasback Lake, as the hunting season
    had not yet commenced,
  • 4) water levels and extensive vegetation cover on
    the traditional Campbell Lake roost.

24
Threats
  • Protection of major roost sites is an issue of
    concern. As mentioned previously, cranes utilize
    isolated open wetlands for roosting where
    disturbance is minimal and the ability to detect
    predators is high.
  • However, subtle changes in habitat conditions
    such as vegetation growth and water levels can
    preclude roosting.

25
Mr. Big
26
Conversion of farm land
  • Dairy farming and the planting of field corn for
    silage is a declining practice in Washington.
  • Likewise, shifts in agricultural practices,
    urbanization, and industrialization all pose
    significant threats to current known and
    potential crane foraging habitats in the area.

27
Conversion of farm land
  • The regional loss of these food resources may
    ultimately impact the distribution of cranes
    locally, limit the potential of supporting a
    wintering crane population, and pose an
    additional risk to the viability of this flyway
    segment.

28
Capture
  • Six of the 8 cranes captured were marked with
    PTTs
  • Four of the cranes were captured at Ridgefield
    NWR and 4 at Sauvie Island WA.

29
TRAPPING
  • Sandhill cranes were captured using noose
    lines, an ancient bird-catching technique from
    India and Pakistan.
  • A capture site was baited with field corn, and
    after birds began using the bait, noose lines
    were set during the pre-dawn period.

30
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31
Transmitter
  • To limit stress to the cranes, they were
    hooded while they were being handled.
  • PTTs were fitted to one leg using rivets and
    glue federal and colored plastic bands of a
    unique color combination were placed on the other
    leg.
  • The two cranes without PTTs were similarly
    marked with colored bands.

32

Data Collected
  • Measurements were taken from each bird including
    length of wing chord, tarsus, middle toe, exposed
    culmen, and nares to tip each bird was also
    weighed. In addition, a blood sample was
    collected from each bird for genetic analyses.

33

PTT Programming
  • The PTTs were programmed to activate for 8 hours
    after 60 hours of deactivation, resulting in
    locations being recorded from satellites about
    every 3 days.

34
Where does Sandy Travel?
  • We tracked the movements of the PTT birds via
    satellite technology, and documented their spring
    migration routes and destinations.
  • Based on the data we obtained, it appears that
    the birds move down the Columbia River, follow
    the Washington coast northward, cross Cape
    Flattery, across Vancouver Island, and up the
    coast of British Columbia (BC).

35
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36
Final Destinations
  • One crane migrated to Dall Island in southwest
    Alaska while the other 5 cranes stopped along the
    northern and central B.C. coast.
  • Of those 5, one was on the mainland near Port
    Edward while the other 4 were on islands off the
    coast.
  • One bird each was on McCauley Island, Banks
    Island, Dowager Island and Princess Royal Island.

37
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38
Habitat
39
Princess Royal
40
Prince of Whales Bog
41
Queen Charlotte Island
42
Argonaut Plain, Naikoon Provincial Park
THE SANDHILL CRANES OF HAIDA GWAII A report
prepared for the West Coast Crane Working
Group Margo Hearne Peter Hamel, M.E.S. Ma.
(Cantab.)  May, 2003
43
Crane Colors
  • When adult Cranes first arrive on Haida Gwaii
    they are more gray than rust and seem to get
    darker as the season develops.  We have not
    observed black cranes.

44
Habitat
  • Habitat varies from upper sand dunes to open
    meadow and intertidal areas.  They are also seen
    occasionally on beaches.  Their preferred sites
    are open lowlands that afford a clear view all
    around.  They have not been recorded in forests,
    although they nest adjacent to forest.

45
Crane Gangs
  • An interesting aspect of Cranes on Haida
    Gwaii during the nesting season is the number of
    birds seen yearly on Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary
    in Masset throughout June and July.  Upwards of
    40 birds feed there.  We dont know if they are
    failed nesters or juvenile birds too young to
    nest.

46
Sandy as Predator!
  • During the mid-1980s when studies were
    undertaken on the nesting behavior of Least
    Sandpipers in Delkatla, researchers noted that
    the Cranes may have eaten some eggs and chicks. 
    Least Sandpiper nests simply disappeared after a
    small flock of 6-7 Cranes had moved through.   

47
Cranes feeding in Delkatla May 6 2003 Photo
48
Threats
  • Introduced species pose a real danger.  Raccoons
    were introduced to Haida Gwaii in the early
    1940s and have spread throughout the island. 
    Many ground nesting birds, are very vulnerable to
    this particular predator, as they eat both eggs
    and young.  There are no plans underway at the
    moment to deal with this unfortunate pest
    island-wide

49
Threats
  • The Haida Weasel, an indigenous island species,
    could pose a threat as they eat eggs, however
    both Cranes and Weasels have existed here for
    some time and Cranes still nest here.

50
Threats
  • More insidious are Beavers, introduced in the
    mid-20th Century.  Beavers build dams in the
    muskeg rivulets and streams and create ponds were
    there were none before.  This diminishes the
    amount of habitat available for successful
    nesting, especially in the Argonaut Plain
    lowlands of Naikoon Provincial Park where Cranes
    are seen in summer.

51
Threats
  • Cats, squirrels and muskrats, all introduced
    species, could be a problem, although Cranes are
    big birds and could munch them for lunch.

52
SEX?
  • Identification of subspecies of sandhill cranes
    requires the determination of gender which can
    not be ascertained from a physical examination.

53
Who am I?
  • Measurements used for comparison of subspecies
    are from two sources Johnson and Stewart (1973)
    and Schmidt and Hale (1997).
  • However, the birds reported in these studies were
    from the Mid-Continent Population (Central Flyway
    - - the migration corridor between the Rocky
    Mountains and Mississippi River), and those in
    the Pacific Flyway (west of the Rockies) may
    differ morphologically.

54
Greater
Canadian
Lesser
55
Illustration by Darrell Pruett
56
Sandy
57
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58
Tarsus (leg)
  • The tarsus is the long bone in the lower
    leg. Length of tarsus (n 7) measurements were
    generally shorter than Canadian sandhill cranes,
    and mostly within the upper limits for lessers. 

59
Culmen (bill)
  • This measurement is from the base of the
    upper mandible to the tip. Four exposed culmen
    measurements (n 8) were closest to the ranges
    reported for Canadian sandhill cranes, while the
    other four fell between the ranges for Canadians
    and lessers.

60
Weight
  • Weights of cranes (n 7) fell within the ranges
    for greater and Canadian sandhill cranes, with
    little overlap with reported weights of lessers.
    Most weights were closest to the means for
    Canadians, however, weights of two birds were
    closer to greaters.

61
SUBSPECIES DETERMINATION
  • We believe that the cranes in this study were
    Canadian sandhill cranes.
  • Most of their measurements were within the ranges
    reported for this subspecies.
  • Disparities in some measurements may indicate
    that there are morphological differences between
    cranes of the Central Flyway and those of the
    Pacific Flyway.
  • The fact that these cranes migrated to the B.C.
    and southern Alaska coasts also supports the
    conclusion that they are Canadians.
  • According to the book The Birds of British
    Columbia (Campbell et al. 1990), about 1,500
    Canadian sandhill cranes nest along the B.C.
    coast.

62
SUBSPECIES DETERMINATION
  • For the birds we captured , the head profiles
    seemed to match those of Canadians, with a flat
    forehead and medium bill.
  • Lessers have a rounded head and fine, short bill,
    while Greaters also have a flattened forehead,
    but a longer bill.
  • We also noted that the legs were shorter than
    greaters that we had previously handled.
  • The heads of these birds appeared different than
    lesser sandhill cranes we have observed in
    California, and eastern Oregon and Washington,
    and their bills appeared shorter than typical
    greaters.

63
Winter in the Sun
64
Staten Island
65
Flooded Fields
66
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) of
California
67
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68
Staten Island 9,200 Acres
69
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70
Staten Island
  • Both historic and current surveys have shown that
    Staten is a critical wintering area for sandhill
    cranes.
  • In 2002-03, over 7,900 feeding and 8,500 roosting
    cranes were recorded.
  • Compared to other North Delta areas, the island
    was the only site to consistently hold high
    numbers of feeding cranes through the winter.
  • For the state-listed greater subspecies, at least
    15 of the CVP depend on Staten, with data from
    color-marked individuals showing strong site
    philopatry and a long tradition of use of the
    island.

71
Roosting and feeding counts of sandhill cranes at
Staten Island, San Joaquin County, California,
2002-03.
72
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) of California
  • Agricultural conversion of the rich bottomlands
    and marshes of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
    began with the passage of the Swamp and Overflow
    Act shortly following the California Gold Rush in
    1850 (Delta Protection Commission 1994).
  • Large areas of the Deltas natural habitats were
    diked and drained (i.e., reclaimed) and converted
    to some of the richest farmland in the world.
  • The undeniable productivity of Delta farmland is
    only rivaled by its past productivity as natural
    wetland habitat that supported greater numbers
    and variety of resident and migratory fish and
    wildlife than currently found in the Delta.
  • At present, the Delta region supports over
    500,000 acres of agricultural land, most of which
    was formerly wetland habitat consisting of either
    riparian or seasonal and perennial marsh
    communities.

73
Conversion
  • Between 1976 and 1993 nearly 4,500 acres of new
    orchards and vineyards were introduced to the
    Delta region replacing either native lands or
    other intensively farmed areas (i.e., tomatoes)
  • As a result of past and present agricultural
    conversion, many of the wintering areas that
    migratory waterfowl and wading birds depended on
    in this portion of the Pacific Flyway have been
    lost.

74
Conversion
  • Because the vast majority of historic natural
    wetland habitats have been lost to agricultural
    uses the agricultural lands are left to fill the
    wildlife habitat void where possible.
  • Some agricultural areas (e.g., orchards,
    vineyards, turf farms) are not able to provide
    suitable habitat for migratory birds however,
    sites producing row or field crops are often
    flexible enough in cropping patterns and
    management options to provide some form of
    habitat during part of the year.

75
California Crossroads
  • Statens current management is filling a large
    and increasing void of wildlife habitat in the
    Delta where substantial habitat losses have
    occurred to land conversion to vineyards and
    orchards (Littlefield and Ivey 1999), urban
    development, and turf farms (Ivey and Herziger
    2003).
  • Over time technological advances and changing
    market conditions have resulted in a wide variety
    of agricultural commodities being produced in the
    fertile soils of the Delta region.
  • At present, California agriculture is at a
    crossroads, with population growth and suburban
    sprawl threatening farmland and the pressure for
    higher yielding, more profitable crop varieties
    is requiring the use of more chemicals and
    genetically engineered or manipulated (GMO)
    crops.

76
California Crossroads
  • Unfortunately, the use of GMO varieties may be
    limiting Californias export market, as many
    overseas markets such as the European Union are
    leery of GMO products.
  • As a consequence of the pressure and difficulty
    in running a profitable farming operation, many
    California farmers are opting to sell out to
    developers or large corporate farming operations.
  • Whether the next landowner is a developer or
    corporate farmer, neither is likely to be
    inclined to conduct wildlife-friendly activities
    without some monetary incentive and direct
    efforts to educate them about opportunities and
    benefits.

77
Management for Wildlife
  • The basic needs of wildlife are adequate space,
    food, water, and cover.
  • During fall and winter, sandhill cranes and
    waterfowl are very sensitive to human
    disturbance, which is a major factor influencing
    wildlife distribution.

78
Management for Wildlife
  • Management of Staten Island has focused on
    meeting wildlife requirements on a large tract of
    land and limiting disturbance to the extent
    possible while still maintaining an efficient and
    profitable farming program.
  • A variety of wildlife-friendly practices work
    towards these goals, ranging from how water,
    crops, and weeds are managed, to how the hunting
    program is practiced.

79
Threats
  • In recent years, crane use at Staten has
    increased due to farming management decisions
    made with wildlife in mind so that these dual
    purposes could be satisfied.
  • This method of management becomes even more
    critical given the loss of crane-compatible
    habitats on nearby areas.

80
Threats
  • Historic crane habitat has been replaced by
    vineyards on Brack and Canal Ranch tracts and
    Tyler Island , and by turf farming on Terminous
    Tract.
  • North of the Delta, habitat has been lost to
    urbanization along the Cosumnes River in
    northeast Elk Grove where about 100 cranes were
    regularly observed in the early 1990s and on the
    Laguna Creek floodplain, in southwest Elk Grove
    within the past five years .
  • To the south, cranes foraged on winter wheat
    fields near Modesto until the 1960s, but no
    longer do so due to the development of orchards
    and vineyards.
  • Additionally, some areas where compatible crops
    remain in the Delta are managed in a way not
    conducive to crane use foraging at Brack Tract
    has greatly decreased in recent years due to the
    plowing of corn and deep flooding of rice fields
    which has limited foraging habitat.

81
Education
                                              
                                     Othello
Sandhill Crane Festival
  • While festivals, newspaper articles, and tours
    can disturb cranes if not carefully regulated,
    they also can be beneficial by drawing visitors
    to whom information can be provided on the
    species, and support can be generated for the
    birds and their habitats.

82
Conclusions
  • Summer on coast of B.C. and
  • southern Alaska.
  • Winter at Ridgefield/Sauvie
  • Island area and northern
  • Sacramento Valley.
  • Birds captured were the
  • Canadian race.

83
Conboy Lake NWR
84
Conboy Lake
  • FINAL STATUS REPORT ON THE 2003 GREATER SANDHILL
    CRANE NESTING SEASON AT CONBOY LAKE NATIONAL
    WILDLIFE REFUGE, KLICKITAT COUNTY, WASHINGTON
  • Joseph D. Engler 1, Daniel C. Friesz 1, Eric D.
    Anderson 1, and David P. Anderson 2
  • 1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ridgefield
    National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Ridgefield,
    Washington
  • 2 Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife,
    Trout Lake, Washington

85
Endangered Greater Sandhill Cranes
  • Since 1995, the Ridgefield NWR Complex staff with
    the assistance of Washington Department of Fish
    and Wildlife (WDFW) and Yakama Indian Nation
    (YIN) personnel has monitored the only known
    breeding population of greater sandhill cranes
    (Grus canadensis tabida) in Washington.
  • This breeding population was classified as
    endangered by the State of Washington in 1981 due
    to its limited range and small extant population
    (Washington Administration Code 232-12-014).
  • Formerly more widespread in Washington, this
    subspecies is currently known to nest only on the
    Conboy Lake NWR within the Glenwood Valley
    (Klickitat County), Panakanic Valley (Klickitat
    County), Yakama Indian Nation lands (Yakima
    County), and on Department of Natural Resources
    land (Yakima County).
  • The Conboy Lake NWR provides nesting habitat for
    approximately 85 of all known breeding cranes in
    Washington.

86
Sandhill Crane Breeding Pairs and Production in
Washington, 1992-2003
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
WA Population Estimate 6 6 8 22 26 34 39 40 47 50 50 49
Breeding Pairs On-Refuge 3 3 3 7 (2) 8 (2) 12 14 13 (1) 13 (3) 14 (2) 11 (5) 15 (2)
Breeding Pairs Off-Refuge 1 1 (1) 2 (1) 3 (3) 3 (1) 2 (1) 2 (2) 2 (2) 3 (1)
Subadult (non-breeders) On-Refuge 0 0 4 5 4 9 10 10 7
Young Produced 3 0 0 1 3 5 5 5 6 0 2 5
data in parentheses represent territorial pairs
without confirmed nesting data
87
Population Growth
  • Data indicates that the greater sandhill crane
    nesting population in Washington is currently
    stable or slightly increasing.

88
Population Growth
  • However, population growth has been relatively
    low since 1997, as the population has increased
    by only 6 pairs, despite the recruitment of 27
    young into the population from 1995-2002.

89
Population Growth
  • Assessing this low population growth,
    particularly within the Glenwood Valley, is
    further confounded by
  • 1) the presence of a disproportionate number of
    males in the sub-adult population,
  • 2) the continued failure of several banded
    breeding age pairs to establish firm territories,
    and
  • 3) the 2003 disappearance of two banded breeding
    age males from the local population.

90
Conboy Lake
  • 2003 marks the ninth year of comprehensive data
    collection on the refuges nesting sandhill crane
    population with additional data collected for
    off-refuge crane nesting.
  • This work is believed to encompass all of the
    current nesting by greater sandhill cranes in
    Washington.
  • Over the years, this project has documented crane
    nesting sites and habitat use, individual pair
    production, breeding season time frames,
    territory data, migration and wintering sites,
    site fidelity, and juvenile survival.

91
Threats
  • The inability to co-manage water adequately for
    crane nesting on contiguous tracts of refuge and
    private lands is believed to be a primary reason
    for territory failure.

92
Research
  • Further, refuge funds have dwindled considerably
    in recent years, barely allowing for continued
    monitoring of the refuge population.
  • Long-term monitoring and this accumulated history
    on established pairs and territories facilitate
    the collection and analysis of data for these
    established crane territories.
  • However, the current level of monitoring has been
    insufficient in recent years to delineate the
    breeding status and territory affiliations of
    new pairs and re-nest attempts.
  • This has reduced the ability to accurately
    estimate the number of breeding pairs and
    recruitment within the Glenwood Valley, as well
    as estimating the Washington population overall.

93
Needs
  • In order to fulfill the objectives of the
    Washington State Sandhill Crane Recovery Plan
    (Littlefield and Ivey 2002), it is imperative to
    increase the monitoring of these potential
    expansion sites and evaluate habitat conditions
    and productivity.

94
Needs
  • A satellite telemetry project would enable the
    collection of data on seasonal movements and
    dispersal patterns of sub-adults. A telemetry
    project could also serve to identify areas
    utilized by pioneering cranes, thus focusing
    searches for new breeding territories.

95
Web Sites
  • www.wccwg.nacwg.org
  • www.nacwg.org
  • www.savingcranes.org
  • www.bringbackthecranes.org
  • www.operationmigration.org
  • www.whoopingcrane.org
  • www.pwrc.usgs.gov/cranes
  • www.cosumnes.org

96
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97
Whooping Cranes
98
452
  • An excellent nesting season in Canada raised
    expectations for a record number of whooping
    cranes to arrive at Aransas in the fall, 2003. In
    mid-August, a record 61 nests had fledged 28
    chicks.
  • The central Florida whooping crane flock
    responded favorably to increased water levels and
    set records in 2003 for the most nests (8) and
    most fledged chicks produced (3). The pair that
    successfully fledged the first whooping crane
    chick (Lucky) in 2002, also were successful
    parents in 2003, raising Lucky II. Survival of
    the 13 juveniles released in the 2002-03 winter
    was excellent, with only one mortality from a
    power line strike.
  • All 21 whooping cranes in the eastern migratory
    population left Florida on their own in the
    spring of 2003. All but one survived the summer.
    An additional 16 juveniles are well along in
    flight training and should leave on their first
    ultralight migration in October.
  • Captive whooping crane facilities had an
    excellent production season with 41 chicks
    fledged.
  • Total whooping crane numbers in September, both
    captive (134) and wild (318), totaled 452.

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Wild Populations Adult Young Total
Aransas/Wood Buffalo NP 167 28 195
Rocky Mountains 0 0 0
Florida non-migratory 84 3 87
Wisconsin/Florida migratory 20 16 36
 
Subtotal in the Wild 271 47 318
This number is the anticipated number that will arrive at Aransas in fall, 2003. It is based on average adult mortality between spring and fall, and the 28 chicks seen by CWS biologists in August, 2003. Note the official size of the population is still 184 as of spring, 2003. This number is an estimate since not all whooping cranes in Florida can be found on a regular basis.
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Captive Populations Adult Young Total Breeding Pairs
Patuxent WRC, Maryland 49 11 60 10
International Crane Foundation, WI 26 10 36 10
Devonian Wildlife Conservation Center/Calgary 17 2 19 6
ACRES, New Orleans 8 0 8 0
New Orleans Zoo 2 0 2 0
San Antonio Zoo, Texas 6 0 6 2
Lowery Park Zoo, Tampa, Florida 3 0 3 0
 
Subtotal in Captivity 111 23 134 28
         
TOTALS (Wild Captive) 318 134 452  
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Migration
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October 7, 2003
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Isolation Rearing
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Wandering Whoppers
  • In August, 2003, three of the returned 2002
    ultralight whoppers wandered into South Dakota,
    which is not included in the NEP plan. The joint
    decision was made between the Central Flyway
    Council, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish
    and Parks, the Whooping Crane Recovery Team and
    officials with the Whooping Crane Eastern
    Partnership to collect the wandering females and
    return them to the reintroduction site at the
    Necedah NWR. Two of the cranes (203 and 215)
    were just fine when released again at Necedah,
    but Crane 207 suffered capture myopathy and had
    to be euthanized.

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February 12, 2004Update provided by Joan
Garland, Education Outreach Coordinator
  • New Arrival to the Pen site
  • At dusk on February 7, number 14-02 arrived at
    the pen site from her previous location in
    Madison County. The trio of adult cranes at the
    pen site (numbers 5-01, 4-02, and 18-02) has not
    taken kindly to the arrival of 14-02. The trio,
    especially 5-01, has been trying to chase 14-02
    away. ICF biologist Marianne Wellington reported
    seeing 5-01 chasing 14-02 in flight. Number 5-01
    got close enough to pull feathers out of 14-02!
    Marianne also reported that 5-01 has been doing
    so many crouch-threats to 14-02 that 5-01s belly
    is black from the mud. She can spot 5-01 without
    binoculars, because hes the only black and white
    crane! The trio has also been doing a lot more
    unison calls since 14-02 showed up. Earlier this
    week all 20 cranes (16 juveniles and the four
    adults) were in the pen together, although 14-02
    was outside the main group.
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