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2010

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Reintroduction

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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Thirty Years Of Mortality Assessment In Whooping Crane Reintroductions: Patterns And Implications, Barry K. Hartup, Marilyn G. Spalding, Nancy J. Thomas, Gretchen A. Cole, Young Jun Kim Jan 2010

Thirty Years Of Mortality Assessment In Whooping Crane Reintroductions: Patterns And Implications, Barry K. Hartup, Marilyn G. Spalding, Nancy J. Thomas, Gretchen A. Cole, Young Jun Kim

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We reviewed postmortem data to identify primary causes of mortality in reintroduced whooping cranes (Grus americana) and assess their potential for mitigation in future reintroduction efforts. In total, 240 cases from 3 populations were reviewed for causes of death, including the Rocky Mountain migratory population (n = 24, release dates 1975-1989), the Florida resident population (n = 186, 1993-2005), and the Wisconsin migratory population (n = 30, 2001-ongoing). Traumatic injury was the leading cause of mortality among the reintroduced whooping cranes, most commonly from predation (n = 120 or 50%, range 8-58% per project) or collision with fixed …


Demography Of Whooping Cranes In The Eastern Migratory Population, Sarah J. Converse, Richard P. Urbanek Jan 2010

Demography Of Whooping Cranes In The Eastern Migratory Population, Sarah J. Converse, Richard P. Urbanek

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The ultimate success of the whooping crane (Grus americana) reintroduction to eastern North America rests on adequate demographic performance of the population. We are undertaking a population viability analysis (PVA) of the eastern migratory population in order to evaluate progress toward the fundamental population objective, to better understand the critical demographic thresholds that must be met to fulfill this objective, and, most importantly, to support management decision-making. The initial phase in the PVA development process involves estimation of demographic parameters to be used in later population modeling phases. Multi-state models provide an appropriate analytic framework for estimation, wherein …


Mechanisms Of Habitat Selection Of Reintroduced Whooping Cranes On Their Breeding Range, Kelly J. Maguire, Stanley A. Temple Jan 2010

Mechanisms Of Habitat Selection Of Reintroduced Whooping Cranes On Their Breeding Range, Kelly J. Maguire, Stanley A. Temple

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We examined several mechanisms that influenced the habitat selection of reintroduced whooping cranes (Grus americana) on their breeding range in the midwestern United States. Visual observations on 56 whooping cranes from 2001 to 2006 provided accurate locations, habitat descriptions, and bird associations. Location information on each bird was mapped to create home range and to describe the habitat. We found evidence that habitat selection in these cranes resulted from multiple mechanisms, including habitat imprinting, philopatry, site tenacity, intra-specific interactions, and environmental stochasticity. The initial home ranges of all cranes contained habitat similar to that in which they were …


Eastern Equine Encephalitis In Florida Whooping Cranes, Marilyn G. Spalding, Lillian M. Stark Jan 2010

Eastern Equine Encephalitis In Florida Whooping Cranes, Marilyn G. Spalding, Lillian M. Stark

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Two whooping cranes (Grus americana) that were part of separate projects to reintroduce whooping cranes in eastern North America died suddenly in Florida following a few days of abnormal behavior. The first case was a semi-captive bird on ultralight-led migration from Wisconsin to Florida in December 2004. The second case was a molting 10-year-old male and successful wild breeder that died in May, 2005. Clinical signs were lethargy, abnormal posture, isolation followed by attack by other birds, collapse, heart murmur, and death. Eastern equine encephalitis virus (alphavirus) was isolated from the liver of both birds. The most severe …


Habitat Selection Of Eastern Migratory Whooping Cranes On Their Wintering Grounds, Lara E. A. Fondow, Stanley A. Temple Jan 2010

Habitat Selection Of Eastern Migratory Whooping Cranes On Their Wintering Grounds, Lara E. A. Fondow, Stanley A. Temple

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

As a monitoring technician for the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, I (LEAF) noted that birds in years following release selected wintering habitats that differed greatly from those into which they were initially released. An analysis of the habitat preferences of these birds was needed in order to determine any possible implications to the reintroduction efforts. During the winters of 2004-2005 and 2005-2006, I recorded the locations, habitat use, social associations, and behaviors of all migratory whooping cranes (Grus americana) at known locations in Florida. I used compositional analysis to determine whether habitat use was random at the following …


Status Of Non-Migratory Whooping Cranes In Florida, Martin J. Folk, James A. Rodgers Jr., Timothy A. Dellinger, Stephen A. Nesbitt, Jeannette M. Parker, Marilyn G. Spalding, Stephen B. Baynes, M. Kathleen Chappell, Stephen T. Schwikert Jan 2010

Status Of Non-Migratory Whooping Cranes In Florida, Martin J. Folk, James A. Rodgers Jr., Timothy A. Dellinger, Stephen A. Nesbitt, Jeannette M. Parker, Marilyn G. Spalding, Stephen B. Baynes, M. Kathleen Chappell, Stephen T. Schwikert

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We soft-released 289 whooping cranes (Grus americana) into central Florida during 1993-2006 in an effort to establish a non-migratory population. As of September 2008, the population numbered 30 birds (11 pairs), including 12 males and 18 females. Survival and productivity rates have been lower than expected. Males did not survive past 10 years of age, whereas females have lived to at least 15 years of age. Most older males died as a result of predation or from colliding with power lines. We marked power lines and developed a streamlined transmitter to help reduce the number of collisions with …


Nest Desertion In A Reintroduced Population Of Migratory Whooping Cranes, Richard P. Urbanek, Sara E. Zimorski, Anna M. Fasoli, Eva K. Szyszkoski Jan 2010

Nest Desertion In A Reintroduced Population Of Migratory Whooping Cranes, Richard P. Urbanek, Sara E. Zimorski, Anna M. Fasoli, Eva K. Szyszkoski

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Reintroduction of an eastern migratory population of whooping cranes (Grus americana) into eastern North America began in 2001. Reproduction first occurred in 2005. Through 2008, eggs were produced in 22 first nests and 2 renests. All first nests failed–50% confirmed due to desertion by the parents and the remaining nest failures also consistent with the pattern of parental desertion. Nest failures were not related to stage of incubation, and they were often synchronous. Temperatures in winter and early spring affected timing of nest failure. An environmental factor such as harassment of incubating cranes by black flies (Simulium …


The Direct Autumn Release Of Whooping Cranes Into The Eastern Migratory Population: A Summary Of The First Three Years, Marianne M. Wellington, Richard P. Urbanek Jan 2010

The Direct Autumn Release Of Whooping Cranes Into The Eastern Migratory Population: A Summary Of The First Three Years, Marianne M. Wellington, Richard P. Urbanek

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

This paper describes methods used in an experimental direct autumn release of captive produced whooping cranes (Grus americana) into a reintroduced migratory population in eastern North America. Eighteen chicks (4 in 2005, 4 in 2006, and 10 in 2007) were eventually released in the vicinity of adult whooping cranes or wild sandhill cranes (G. canadensis). Chicks were reared by costumed aviculturists using strict isolation-rearing techniques at the International Crane Foundation (ICF) and then transferred to Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin. Initially, 23 chicks were transferred from ICF to Necedah at ages of 17-46 days. …


The Role Of Retrieval And Translocation In A Reintroduced Population Of Migratory Whooping Cranes, Sara E. Zimorski, Richard P. Urbanek Jan 2010

The Role Of Retrieval And Translocation In A Reintroduced Population Of Migratory Whooping Cranes, Sara E. Zimorski, Richard P. Urbanek

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Beginning in 2001, a reintroduction project was initiated using captive-reared whooping cranes (Grus americana) to establish a migratory flock in eastern North America. From May 2003 to August 2008, 23 of these birds were retrieved and translocated in 15 separate events. These individuals consisted of 14 cranes that had been led to Florida by ultralight aircraft on their first autumn migration (UL) and 9 cranes that had been directly released in autumn in Wisconsin (DAR). Of 104 (86 UL and 18 DAR) reintroduced individuals that eventually departed from their release location, 22% were later retrieved 1-3 times. Lake …


Survival, Reproduction, And Movements Of Migratory Whooping Cranes During The First Seven Years Of Reintroduction, Richard P. Urbanek, Lara E. A. Fondow, Sara E. Zimorski Jan 2010

Survival, Reproduction, And Movements Of Migratory Whooping Cranes During The First Seven Years Of Reintroduction, Richard P. Urbanek, Lara E. A. Fondow, Sara E. Zimorski

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

An effort to reintroduce a migratory population of whooping cranes (Grus americana) into eastern North America began in 2001. During 2001-2007, 125 juveniles were costume/isolation-reared and released: 106 were led by ultralight aircraft from Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), central Wisconsin, to Chassahowitzka NWR, central Gulf Coast of Florida, on their first autumn migration (ultralight-led or UL). The remaining 19 individuals were released directly on Necedah NWR during autumn of the hatch year (direct autumn release or DAR). Of 86 UL and 13 DAR cranes that completed their first spring migration, 72 (84%) and 5 (38%), respectively, returned …