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2001

Ultralight aircraft

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Full-Text Articles in Biodiversity

Lessons From The Motorized Migrations, David H. Ellis, George F. Gee, Kent R. Clegg, Joseph W. Duff, William A. Lishman, William J. L. Sladen Jan 2001

Lessons From The Motorized Migrations, David H. Ellis, George F. Gee, Kent R. Clegg, Joseph W. Duff, William A. Lishman, William J. L. Sladen

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Ten experiments have been conducted to determine if cranes can be led on migration and if those so trained will repeat migrations on their own. Results have been mixed as we have experienced the mishaps common to pilot studies. Nevertheless, we have learned many valuable lessons. Chief among these are that cranes can be led long distances behind motorized craft (air and ground), and those led over most or the entire route will return north come spring and south in fall to and from the general area of training. However, they will follow their own route. Groups transported south and …


Promoting Wildness In Sandhill Cranes Conditioned To Follow An Ultralight Aircraft, Joseph W. Duff, William A. Lishman, Dewitt A. Clark, George F. Gee, Daniel T. Sprague, David H. Ellis Jan 2001

Promoting Wildness In Sandhill Cranes Conditioned To Follow An Ultralight Aircraft, Joseph W. Duff, William A. Lishman, Dewitt A. Clark, George F. Gee, Daniel T. Sprague, David H. Ellis

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

During the 1998 field season, we developed and tested a new protocol to teach sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) to follow ultralight aircraft yet avoid humans. Although successful in teaching the cranes a migration route, our previous migration (1997) resulted in birds that were overly tame and sought association with humans. For this study, 16 sandhill cranes were costume-reared at USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and transported to Ontario shortly before fledging. After the birds learned to follow the aircraft, 14 were transported to an isolated wintering site in South Carolina, 1300 km south of the training area. Twelve …


Continuing Studies Of Ultralight Aircraft Applications For Introducing Migratory Populations Of Endangered Cranes, Kent R. Clegg, James C. Lewis Jan 2001

Continuing Studies Of Ultralight Aircraft Applications For Introducing Migratory Populations Of Endangered Cranes, Kent R. Clegg, James C. Lewis

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

This research tested whether captive-reared cranes led by an ultralight aircraft (UL) along a migration route, would, after release on a wintering area, integrate with wild cranes and migrate in spring to their natal area without human assistance. This was the historical first motorized migration involving an endangered species. In 1997, whooping cranes (Grus americana) and greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) were group-reared in species-specific pens and 80% fledged. Beginning 13 October, 4 whooping cranes and 8 sandhill cranes were led along a 1, 133-km migration route from Grace, Idaho, to Bosque del Apache National …


Results Of The First Ultralight-Led Sandhill Crane Migration In Eastern North America, Joseph W. Duff, William A. Lishman, Dewitt A. Clark, George F. Gee, David H. Ellis Jan 2001

Results Of The First Ultralight-Led Sandhill Crane Migration In Eastern North America, Joseph W. Duff, William A. Lishman, Dewitt A. Clark, George F. Gee, David H. Ellis

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

In 1997, we led 8 sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) south from Ontario, Canada by ultralight aircraft to a wintering area near Warrenton, Virginia, an area without a wild population. Six others were transported south in a trailer in hopes they would return north with those that flew. The migration was 863 kIn long, included 14 stops, and took 21 days to complete. A1l13 SUIViving birds were wintered together. In March 1998, the surviving 7 "aircraft-led" birds departed the wintering site. The following day, 6 of the 7 were reported on the south shore of Lake Ontario. The flock …