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Abstracts From Proceedings Of The 14th North American Crane Workshop

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

CRANES AND AGRICULTURE: A DELICATE BALANCE. Jane E. Austin and Kerryn M. Morrison 149

NOCTURNAL ROOSTING BEHAVIOR OF SANDHILL CRANES ON THE PLATTE RIVER, NEBRASKA. David A.Brandt, Pamela J. Pietz, Deborah A. Buhl, Wesley E. Newton, Gary L. Krapu, and Aaron T. Pearse 149

USING HOME RANGES AND SITE FIDELITY TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF IMPORTANCE FOR OVERWINTERING SANDHILL CRANES ON THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS Kathryn Brautigam, Blake A. Grisham, William Johnson, Nicole Athearn, David L. Boren, Dan P. Collins, Shaun Oldenburger, Jude Smith, and Warren Conway 150

IN VITRO METHODS FOR EXAMINING MALE FERTILITY IN CRANE SPECIES Megan E. Brown, …

Effects Of Rearing Environment On Behavior Of Captive-Reared Whooping Cranes, Christy L. Sadowski, Glenn H. Olsen, M. Elsbeth Mcphee

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Whooping cranes (Grus americana) are 1 of the most endangered bird species in North America. In 1999 the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership was formed to establish a migratory population of whooping cranes in eastern North America. These efforts have been extremely successful in terms of adult survival but reproductive success post-release has been low. One hypothesis developed to explain such low reproductive success is that captive-rearing techniques fail to prepare the birds to be effective parents. Captive-reared whooping cranes at the U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland, are either reared by humans in crane costumes …

Winter Distribution Of Sandhill Cranes From Upper Michigan And Adjacent Ontario: A Thirty-Year Perspective, Richard P. Urbanek

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The relationship between areas used for breeding and wintering by the expanding Eastern Population of greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) has been little studied. During 1985-1988, 32/33 (97%) of sandhill cranes VHFradiotagged on Seney National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan were subsequently located on wintering areas in wet prairies, muck farms, and improved pastures in Florida and southern Georgia. Four additional radiotagged cranes from other areas of Upper Michigan and 7 from the North Channel of Lake Huron, Ontario, were also located in similar areas and habitats. Winter area was not dependent on …

Mississippi Sandhill Crane Conservation Update 2014–2016, Scott G. Hereford, Angela J. Dedrickson

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

To manage crane habitat during 2014-2016, 5,826 ha were treated with prescribed burns, 298 ha of woody vegetation were removed, 94 ha of invasive plants were chemically treated, and 8 ha of crops were planted. There were 247 predators removed. We acclimated and released 29 captive-reared juveniles. We began testing drones (unmanned aerial systems [UAS]), to locate nests. We detected an average of 34 nests per year with 6 fledglings each year. The December 2016 population was 129 cranes, up 9% from the previous 3 years.

Growth Rate And Hatch Date Of Age-0 Fishes On Leech Lake, Minnesota Before Zebra Mussel Establishment, Kayla Morey, Emily Larson

Journal of Earth and Life Science

The introduction of an invasive species to an ecosystem is considered a very severe environmental problem. Zebra Mussel veligers Dreissena polymorpha have recently been found in Leech Lake, Minnesota, and are likely going to have a large influence on this ecosystem. Zebra Mussels are filter-feeders that rely on phytoplankton and zooplankton as their main source of energy. A shift in populations of plankton due to Zebra Mussels may affect the growth rates of larval fish. Median hatch dates and growth rates were estimated from four age-0 fish species (Yellow Perch Perca flavescens, Walleye Sander vitreus, Smallmouth Bass Micropterus …

A Preliminary Study Of The Influence Of Breeding Area Density On Sandhill Crane Habitat Selection In South-Central Wisconsin, Sara A. Prussing, Hillary L. Thompson

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We hypothesized that territorial sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) in densely populated breeding areas occupy smaller home ranges that are richer in optimal habitat than those in less densely populated breeding areas. We analyzed satellite telemetry data collected from 2012 to 2016 for 3 and 2 sandhill cranes from dense and less dense breeding areas, respectively. Tracked sandhill cranes in a dense breeding area tended to have smaller home ranges (0.37-14.25 km²) with higher concentrations of wetlands (27%) and row crops (40%) than tracked sandhill cranes in the less dense breeding area (8.80-48.81 km², 14% …

Three New Species Of Grouvellinus Champion, 1923 From Maliau Basin, Sabah, Borneo, Discovered By Citizen Scientists During The First Taxon Expedition (Insecta, Coleoptera, Elmidae), Hendrik Freitag, Iva Njunjic, Clister V. Pangantihon

Biology Faculty Publications

Further results are presented of the first field course at Maliau Basin, Malaysian Borneo organized by Taxon Expeditions, an organization which enables citizen scientists to be directly involved in taxonomic discoveries. Three new species of the aquatic beetle genus Grouvellinus Champion, 1923, namely G. leonardodicaprioi sp. n., G. andrekuipersi sp. n., and G. quest sp. n. were collected jointly by the citizen scientists and taxonomists during the fieldwork in Maliau Basin. Material was mainly sampled from sandstone bottom rocks of blackwater streams at altitudes between 900 m and 1,000 m using fine-meshed hand-nets. The genus is widely distributed …

Sparsorythus Sescarorum, New Species From Mindoro, Philippines (Ephemeroptera, Tricorythidae), Jhoana Garces, Ernst Bauernfeind, Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

A new mayfly species, Sparsorythus sescarorum sp. n. (Tricorythidae) is described from Mindoro Island, Philippines. Nymphs are characterized by the combination of the following characters: compound eyes of approximately equal size in both sexes, shape and setation of legs, presence of rudimentary gills on abdominal segment VII, and some details of mouthparts. Male imagines are characterized by the coloration pattern of wings and details of genitalia. The developmental stages are matched by DNA barcodes.

Wpa News 107 (2018), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Winter 2018), number 107

Published by the World Pheasant Association

Endoparasitism Of Rehabilitating Grey Crowned Cranes In Rwanda, Barry K. Hartup, Deo Ruhgazi, Haynes Werner, Oliver Nsengimana

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Diseases such as parasitism can limit the effectiveness of conservation translocations depending on host-parasite dynamics at the site of release. The Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association and the Rwandan government are rehabilitating and repatriating grey crowned cranes (Balearica regulorum) from illegal captivity to the wild at Akagera National Park in large numbers. Monitoring of cranes at the fenced soft-release site during 4 time points in 2017 showed 50-67% of fecal samples tested were positive for 1 or more parasites, most commonly nematodes (roundworms) of the Order Ascaridida. The prevalences and species diversity observed in the fecal samples were not …

Habitat Selection And Con- And Heterospecific Associations Of Wintering Whooping Cranes At Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama, Andrew W. Cantrell, Yong Wang

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Winter ecology of the Eastern Migratory Population of whooping cranes (Grus americana) has received less detailed study than that of other life stages or the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population. Increased winter use of novel sites by these cranes makes understanding the mechanisms contributing to habitat selection and use important for efficient conservation. As a subset of a larger and ongoing project, this study examined the individual and temporal variations of occupancy times, habitat types used, and co-occurrence with con- and heterospecifics during winters 2014-15 and 2015-16 at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama, while considering the effect of individual life …

Proceedings Of The Fourteenth North American Crane Workshop, 11–15 January 2017, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Frontmatter, Jane E. Austin, Richard P. Urbanek

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

List of Previous Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshops:

Suggested citation formats

PREFACE

Memorials: ROBERT H. HORWICH 1940-2017; WILLIAM A. LISHMAN 1939-2017; THEODORE A. BOOKHOUT 1931-2018; JAMES T. HARRIS 1950-2018

CONTENTS

Front and back covers

The North American Crane Working Group (NACWG) is an organization of professional biologists, aviculturists, land managers, non-professional crane enthusiasts, and others interested in and dedicated to the conservation of cranes and crane habitats in North America. Our group meets approximately every 3 years to exchange information pertaining to sandhill cranes and whooping cranes and occasionally reports about some of the other cranes species. The …

Color-Band Identification System Of The Reintroduced Eastern Migratory Whooping Crane Population, Richard Urbanek

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

A reintroduction of whooping cranes (Grus americana) migrating between Wisconsin and the southeastern U.S. was initiated in 2001. A color-band system to uniquely identify individuals was necessary for monitoring and evaluation of that population. The system provided 336 individual unduplicated color combinations consisting of 3 base and 1 additional colors on plastic bands. The band combination on 1 leg carried a VHF transmitter and provided additional information on hatch year. Bands on the other leg were either small bands that were part of a permanent code or they were temporary and supported a remotely monitored (satellite or cellular) …

Examining Whooping Crane Breeding Season Foraging Behavior In The Eastern Migratory Population, Hillary L. Thompson, Anik Levac, Megan J. Fitzpatrick

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Agricultural fields may provide an important supplementary foraging habitat for whooping cranes (Grus americana) in the reintroduced Eastern Migratory Population (EMP). We developed methods and gathered preliminary data regarding whooping crane foraging efficiency and habitat use to better understand the use of agricultural fields by breeding cranes. We generated a simple null hypothesis that cranes would spend more time in the habitat type (wetlands vs. agricultural fields) in which they were able to obtain a higher foraging efficiency to maximize food intake, along with several alternative hypotheses pertaining to reasons cranes may prefer wetlands or agricultural fields during …

Working With Land Managers To Identify And Manage Potential Stopover Locations For Whooping Cranes, Chester A. Mcconnell

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Whooping cranes (Grus americana) of the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population migrate 4,000 km twice each year between their nesting grounds in northern Canada and their wintering grounds on the Texas Gulf Coast. During migration, whooping cranes must land at suitable ponds or wetlands to feed or rest. The Whooping Crane Recovery Plan calls for the protection and management of whooping crane stopover locations within the migration corridor. While major stopover areas have been protected, many other smaller sites remain to be identified. Moreover, the Recovery Plan offers no specific entity to protect and manage the latter. To address these …

Testing Three Chemicals For Deterring Crop Damage By Cranes, Anne E. Lacy, Jeb A. Barzen, Andrew P. Gossens

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Damage to planted corn seed by cranes has the potential to cause great economic loss in areas where both intersect. In 2000 the International Crane Foundation (ICF) tested limonene (LIM), methyl anthranilate (MA), and 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) as possible replacements for the insecticides lindane and diazinon that had been used as deterrents to cranes damaging corn seed and seedlings. LIM, MA, and AQ lowered germination rates (down to 85, 90, and 92%, respectively) as compared to a germination rate of 96% in untreated corn. A 1.0% solution of AQ was effective as a crane deterrent, while LIM and MA were not. …

Antipredator Training For Captive-Reared Mississippi Sandhill Crane Chicks, Jerome J. Howard, Richard A. Dunn, Scott G. Hereford

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Captive-bred Mississippi sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis pulla) suffer from low recruitment in nature, and poor nest defense ability may significantly contribute to the problem. We hypothesized that a lack of opportunities for social learning by young birds prior to release inhibits the development of appropriate nest defense in later life. Here we report the results of preliminary experiments on conditioning of antipredator behavior in young birds prior to release using predator models. Observing agonistic displays by either costumed technicians or parent birds toward a model raccoon (Procyon lotor) promoted aggressive displays to a wild raccoon, but …

Osteoarthritis In The Pelvic Limb Of Captive Cranes, Barry K. Hartup, Savannah J. Lauer, Alyson R. Manthei

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We conducted an epidemiological study of osteoarthritis (OA) among the 15 captive crane species managed at the International Crane Foundation from 1973 to 2016. A retrospective review of 714 medical records found 37 cases of OA in 13 species of cranes and a corresponding period prevalence of OA of 5%. An analysis of the living captive crane flock as of 1 October 2016 (n = 115) found 12 active cases of OA (a point prevalence of 10%), and there was a statistical association between geriatric age classification (i.e., advanced age) and the presence of OA (P < 0.01). The mean age of cranes with OA was 14 years greater than cranes without the disease (P < 0.001). The prevalence estimates of OA from this review were somewhat lower than that from study of museum specimens, but this study similarly identified the tarsal joint as the predominant location of OA lesions in cranes.

Our Changing Climate, David R. Easterling, David W. Fahey, Katherine Hayhoe, Sarah Doherty, James P. Kossin, William V. Sweet, Russell S. Vose, Michael F. Wehner, Donald J. Wuebbels

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: Technical Reports and Related Materials

This chapter is based on the Climate Science Special Report (CSSR), which is Volume I of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (available at science2017.globalchange.gov). The Key Messages and the majority of the content represent the highlights of CSSR, updated with recent references relevant to these topics. The interested reader is referred to the relevant chapter(s) in CSSR for more detail on each of the Key Messages that follow.

Natural History Of The Southern Bog Lemming In Southeastern Virginia, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The isolated subspecies of Southern Bog Lemming of southeastern Virginia, Synaptomys cooperi helaletes, has been studied extensively since its "rediscovery" in the Great Dismal Swamp in 1980. Multiple studies using pitfall traps, starting in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and then extending elsewhere in southeastern Virginia and adjacent northeastern North Carolina, have revealed lemmings to be much more widespread and often more common than previously believed, with their presence now confirmed as far west as Surry and Sussex counties, about 30 km east of Petersburg, Virginia. When present, lemmings often are among the most numerous members of …

Muskrats, James E. Miller

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

The muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) is a common, semi-aquatic rodent native to the United States (Figure 1). It spends its life in aquatic habitats and is well adapted for swimming.

Although muskrats are an important part of native ecosystems, their burrowing and foraging activities can damage agricultural crops, native marshes and water control systems, such as aquaculture and farm ponds and levees. Such damage can significantly impact agricultural crops like rice that rely on consistent water levels for growth.

Muskrats also cause damage by eating agricultural crops, other vegetation, and crayfish, mussels and other aquaculture products. Loss of vegetation …

Wild Turkeys, James E. Miller

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Like other bird and mammal species whose populations have been restored through conservation efforts, wild turkeys (Figure 1) are treasured by many recreationists and outdoor enthusiasts. Wild turkeys have responded positively to wildlife habitat and population management. In some areas, however, their increased populations have led to increased damage to property and agricultural crops, and threats to human health and safety. Turkeys frequent agricultural fields, pastures, vineyards and orchards, as well as some urban and suburban neighborhoods. Because of this, they may cause damage or mistakenly be blamed for damage. Research has found that despite increases in turkey numbers and …

Additional Records Of Acanthocephalan Parasites From Arkansas Fishes, With New Records From Missouri Fishes, Chris T. Mcallister, Michael A. Barger, Henry W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Over the last decade, our research consortium has provided information on acanthocephalan parasites of Arkansas vertebrates, including records from some of the state’s fishes. Here, we continue to provide data on new geographic and new host records of acanthocephalans from Arkansas fishes. In addition, for the first time, we report records of acanthocephalans for some Missouri fishes. We document 2 new state records as well as 10 new host records for some fish acanthocephalans.

Conserving All The Pollinators: Variation In Probability Of Pollen Transport Among Insect Taxa, Diane L. Larson, Jennifer L. Larson, Deborah A. Buhl

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

As concern about declining pollinator populations mounts, it is important to understand the range of insect taxa that provide pollination services. We use pollen transport information acquired over three years in two habitats at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA, to compare probabilities of pollen transport among insect taxa and between sexes of bees. Sampling was conducted on 1-ha plots, eight in sparse vegetation (May–October samples; N = 74 surveys) and 12 in wheatgrass prairie vegetation (June–July samples; N = 87 surveys). Insects contacting reproductive parts of flowers were netted, placed individually into tubes charged with ethyl acetate, then transferred …

Can The Vaquita Be Saved From Extinction?, Gerardo Rodríguez-Quiroz, Wenceslao Valenzuela-Quiñonez, Héctor A. González-Ocampo, Alfredo Ortega-Rubio

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is considered the world’s most endangered marine mammal. It is the smallest member of the porpoise family endemic to the upper part of the Gulf of California. The current population is estimated at less than 30 individuals. The primary reasons for the species decline includes limited habitat and incidental mortalities associated with illegal gillnet fishing activities. Since 2008, the Mexican government has taken environmental and economic actions to protect the vaquita’s focusing in reducing by-catch deaths to zero. In 2015, a federal Agreement decreed by the Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y …

Galliformes Taxon Advisory Group: Aza Regional Collection Plan, Third Edition, 2018-2023, Association Of Zoos And Aquariums

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Reports and Other Materials

Galliformes Taxon Advisory Group: AZA Regional Collection Plan, Third Edition, 2018-2023 / Association of Zoos and Aquariums

TAG mission statement

TAG vision statement

Leadership and TAG structure

TAG History and Introduction

TAG goals, 2018-2023

Rearing-lifelong welfare

Private sector-TAG relations

TAG definition

Taxonomy

Conservation

Conservation status table of all Galliformes

Species selection criteria

Species selection decision tree

Recommended species summary

Space assessment

Animal program summary table

Replacement tables

Family: Megapodiidae (brush-turkey, megapode, scrubfowl)

Maleo Macrocephalon maleo

Non-recommended species justification and suggested replacement species

Family: Cracidae (chachalacas, guans, and curassows)

Horned guan Oreophasis derbianus

Blue-billed curassow Crax alberti

Wattled curassow Crax globulosa …

Galliformes Specialist Group Annual Report 2018, John P. Carroll, Simon D. Dowell

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Reports and Other Materials

Annual report of the IUCN SSC Galliformes Specialist Group, 2018.

Diversity Of Water Bugs In Gujranwala District, Punjab, Pakistan, Muhammad Shahbaz Chattha, Abu Ul Hassan Faiz, Arshad Javid, Irfan Baboo, Inayat Ullah Malik

Journal of Bioresource Management

Water bugs fall under the order Hemiptera, suborder Heteroptera, which is further divided into two types, i.e., semi-aquatic (Gerromorpha) and true water bugs (Nepomorpha). They play a vital role as biological control agents and also a source of food for fishes, birds and other aquatic organisms. The present work was carried out to ascertain aquatic Hemiptera in different lentic and lotic water bodies of various sizes in Gujranwala district, Pakistan. A total of 10 species belonging to five families were identified. Species include Nepa ruber Linnaeus, Laccotrephes elongatus Montandon, Ranatra filiformis Fabricius (Nepidae), Corixa substriata Uhler, Micronecta proba …

Distance Models As A Tool For Modelling Detection Probability And Density Of Native Bumblebees, Darin J. Mcneil, Clint R. V. Otto, Erin L. Moser, Katherine R. Urban‐Mead, David E. King, Amanda D. Rodewald, Jeffery L. Larkin

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Effective monitoring of native bee populations requires accurate estimates of population size and relative abundance among habitats. Current bee survey methods, such as netting or pan trapping, may be adequate for a variety of study objectives but are limited by a failure to account for imperfect detection. Biases due to imperfect detection could result in inaccurate abundance estimates or erroneous insights about the response of bees to different environments. To gauge the potential biases of currently employed survey methods, we compared abundance estimates of bumblebees (Bombus spp.) derived from hierarchical distance sampling models (HDS) to bumblebee counts collected from fixed‐area …

Science At Engineer Cantonment, Hugh H. Genoways, Brett C. Ratcliffe, Carl R. Falk, Thomas E. Labedz, Paul R. Picha, John R. Bozell

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Conclusions

It is our contention that Thomas Say, Titian Peale, Edwin James, and their colleagues of the Stephen Long Expedition of 1819–1820 were heavily engaged in scientific research, which took the form of the first biodiversity inventory undertaken in the United States. This accomplishment has been overlooked both by biologists and historians, but it should rank among the most significant accomplishments of the expedition. The results of this inventory continue to inform us today about environmental, faunal, and floral changes along the Missouri River in an area that is known to be an ecotone between the deciduous forests of the …