Title
Migration Chronology Distribution of Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes (RWO 86 Annual Report, 2013)
Abstract
The Eastern Population (EP) of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) is rapidly
expanding in size and geographic range. The core of their breeding range occurs in
Wisconsin, Michigan, and southern Ontario; however, the EP range has expanded in all
directions as the population has grown. Little is known about the geographic extent of
breeding, migration, and wintering ranges of EP cranes, or migration chronology and
use of staging areas. In December of 2009, we began trapping and attaching solar
Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite Platform Transmitting Terminals (PTTs) on
EP sandhill cranes to assess movements throughout the year. We continued trapping
throughout the spring and fall of 2010, the winter of 2010-2011, the fall of 2011 and
winter of 2011-2012. To date, we have rocket-net trapped and attached PTTs (n = 33)
to cranes in Indiana: Goose Ponds Fish and Wildlife Area (FWA), Greene County and
Jasper-Pulaski FWA, Jasper and Pulaski Counties; Minnesota: Sherburne National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Sherburne County; Tennessee: Hiawassee Wildlife Refuge,
Meigs County and Hop-In Wildlife Refuge, Obion County; and Wisconsin: Crex
Meadows Wildlife Area, Burnett County. Location data for these birds are currently
being received from Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS) America Inc., MD, translated
by software developed by NorthStar Science and Technology LLC, MD, and viewed
using Environment System Research Institute (ESRI) ArcGIS software. Data are
currently being analyzed, with a target of spring 2014 to provide a final project report
Suggested Citation
Fronczak, David L; Andersen, David E.
(2013).
Migration Chronology Distribution of Eastern Population of Sandhill Cranes (RWO 86 Annual Report, 2013).
Retrieved from the University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy,
https://hdl.handle.net/11299/183610.