Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Life Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

1997

Behavior and Ethology

Whooping crane

Articles 1 - 5 of 5

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Food And Energy Intake Rates Of Wintering Whooping Cranes Foraging On Two Selected Food Items, Felipe Chavez-Ramirez, Jay T. Nelson, R. Douglas Slack Jan 1997

Food And Energy Intake Rates Of Wintering Whooping Cranes Foraging On Two Selected Food Items, Felipe Chavez-Ramirez, Jay T. Nelson, R. Douglas Slack

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Number, mass, and potential energy of food items consumed by wintering whooping cranes (Grus americana) foraging on blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and woltberry (Lycium carolinianum) fruit were estimated and compared between 2 consecutive winter periods. Mass consumed was determined through field observations by quantifying the number of items taken per unit time and the average, or modal, weight of each food item determined from collections. Gross energy intake was determined by calculating the product of mass consumed times gross energy (kJ/g) of each food item. Potential energy retained was calculated by determining metabolizable energy …


Use Of Ultralight Aircraft For Introducing Migratory Crane Populations, Kent R. Clegg, James C. Lewis, David H. Ellis Jan 1997

Use Of Ultralight Aircraft For Introducing Migratory Crane Populations, Kent R. Clegg, James C. Lewis, David H. Ellis

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) were used as the research surrogate for whooping cranes (Grus americana) to determine if captive-reared cranes could be led by an ultralight aircraft (UL) along a migration route and if, after release on a wintering area, they would integrate with wild cranes and migrate north in spring to their natal area without assistance. In 1995, KRC raised 15 cranes to fledging and trained them to respond to his vocal imitation of a sandhill crane brood call. Chicks learned to follow him as he walked, drove an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) , …


Woody Vegetation Expansion And Continuing Declines In Open Channel Habitat On The Platte River In Nebraska, Paul J. Currier Jan 1997

Woody Vegetation Expansion And Continuing Declines In Open Channel Habitat On The Platte River In Nebraska, Paul J. Currier

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Aerial videography in 1988 and 1994 of the same selected segments of the Big Bend reach of the Platte River in central Nebraska was compared. During this 6-year period, channel area declined 4 to 41 % (median 26%). In river segments where the channel had already narrowed significantly and at sites where channel habitat is actively managed declines were less (17-18%). These substantial changes occurred during a time that included a relatively low flow period (1990-92). Flows during the summer gertttination and establishment period (mid-May through August) for cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and willow (Salix spp.), the …


A Reintroduction Technique For Migratory Birds: Leading Canada Geese And Isolation-Reared Sandhill Cranes With Ultralight Aircraft, William A. Lishman, Tighe L. Teets, Joseph W. Duff, William J. L. Sladen, Galvin G. Shire, Kirk M. Goolsby, Wayne A. Bezner Kerr, Richard Urbanek Jan 1997

A Reintroduction Technique For Migratory Birds: Leading Canada Geese And Isolation-Reared Sandhill Cranes With Ultralight Aircraft, William A. Lishman, Tighe L. Teets, Joseph W. Duff, William J. L. Sladen, Galvin G. Shire, Kirk M. Goolsby, Wayne A. Bezner Kerr, Richard Urbanek

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

No successful method for establishing self-sustaining populations of whooping cranes (Grus americana), particularly in a migration situation, has been proven. This research initiated development of a reintroduction technique using ultralight aircraft to lead cranes from a natal area along a desired route to a predetermined wintering site. Canada geese (Branta canadensis) were used in initial migration efforts. Ultralight aircraft and pilots successfully led 86 juvenile geese on 3 southbound migrations from Ontario to winter sites 640-1,312 kIn from the natal area. Of 16 1993-hatched geese that survived their first winter in Virginia and 35 1994- hatched …


Results Of An Experiment To Lead Cranes On Migration Behind Motorized Ground Vehicles, David H. Ellis, Brian Clauss, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, R. Curt Mykut, Matthew Kinloch, Catherine H. Ellis Jan 1997

Results Of An Experiment To Lead Cranes On Migration Behind Motorized Ground Vehicles, David H. Ellis, Brian Clauss, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, R. Curt Mykut, Matthew Kinloch, Catherine H. Ellis

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Ten greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) , trained to enter and ride in a specially-equipped truck, were transported at ca 80 days of age from their rearing site at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (patuxent), Maryland, to a reintroduction site located within the species' former breeding range in northern Arizona. After 5 additional weeks of training, these juvenile cranes were led south ca 600 km to a wintering area on the Arizona/Mexico border. Nine of the 10 survived the trek, 495 km of which were flown, although only a few cranes flew every stage of the route. Their …