Non-breeding movements and habitat use of Whooping Cranes using satellite telemetry

Transcription

1 Non-breeding movements and habitat use of Whooping Cranes using satellite telemetry HILLARY L. THOMPSON 1 AND PATRICK JODICE 2 1 DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, CLEMSON UNIVERSITY 2 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, SOUTH CAROLINA COOPERATIVE FISH AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH UNIT

2 Background Wild population ~15 individuals migrating from Canada to coastal Texas in 1940s Whooping Crane Recovery Plan Maintain wild population Maintain captive population Establish self-sustaining populations in two additional discrete locations (nonmigratory population in LA, eastern migratory population) Images courtesy of International Crane Foundation

3 Background Wild population ~15 individuals migrating from Canada to coastal Texas in 1940s Whooping Crane Recovery Plan Maintain wild population Maintain captive population Establish self-sustaining populations in two additional discrete locations (nonmigratory population in LA, eastern migratory population) Images courtesy of International Crane Foundation

4 Background Eastern Migratory Population (2001-present) Costume-rearing Imprint on ultralight aircraft (UL) Follow planes on first migration fall Subsequent migrations are made independently

5 Background Other release methods Direct Autumn Release (DAR): 2005 present Image by Tom Lynn Photography Costume-reared Released in fall on breeding grounds in small groups near adult WHCR or near large flocks of Sandhill Cranes Parent-rearing (PR): 2013 present Raised in captivity by adult Whooping Cranes Released in fall on breeding grounds individually near pairs of adult WHCR

6 Non-breeding season Wild population: Territorial Coastal brackish marshes Reintroduced migratory population: Non-territorial Inland winter sites Winter range expanded as far north as IN Image courtesy of International Crane Foundation

7 Non-breeding season Wild population: Territorial Coastal brackish marshes Reintroduced migratory population: Non-territorial Inland winter sites Winter range expanded as far north as IN Image courtesy of Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership

8 Objectives Use Satellite Telemetry to: Identify migration routes Following learned route? Route fidelity? Identify and describe stopover locations and winter use areas Distance to learned path and stopovers Home range sizes Habitat characteristics

9 Objectives Use Satellite Telemetry to: Identify migration routes Following learned route? Route fidelity? Identify and describe stopover locations and winter use areas Distance to learned path and stopovers Home range sizes Habitat characteristics

10 Satellite Telemetry Dataset All PTTs deployed on juvenile WHCR upon release 70 individuals from Transmitters lasted up to 3.5 years 24,560 locations with error <1.5km

11 Migration Routes Are UL Whooping Cranes following the learned route on their first northward migration?

12 Migration Routes Are Whooping Cranes in this reintroduced population showing fidelity to migration routes?

13 Migration Routes Reverse spring migration documented

14 Learned Routes Are Whooping Cranes using stopover sites and winter use areas along the learned routes? Mean distance to track (km) Mean distance to Season learned stop (km) Fall Spring Winter Sample Size

15 Learned Routes Are Whooping Cranes using stopover sites and winter use areas along the learned routes? Mean distance to track (km) Mean distance to Season learned stop (km) Fall Spring Winter Sample Size

16 Stopover Locations Home range sizes 95% Minimum Convex Polygon Larger spring stopover areas, but highly variable Fall Stop Spring Stop Sample Size Mean Home Range Size (km2) Range (km2) Standard Deviation (km2)

17 Winter Use Areas Home Range Sizes Larger than breeding grounds (2-3km 2 ), but wide range Standard State Sample Size Mean Home Range Size (km2) Deviation (km2) GA KY IN AL TN FL NC Total

18 Winter Use Areas Example using data from one bird in multiple years Home range sizes Habitat characteristics CropScape Land cover data set Year State Home Range Size (km 2 ) 2011 Florida Indiana Kentucky Kentucky

19 Winter Use Areas Home range size: km2 Habitat characteristics Wetlands, open water

20 Winter Use Areas Home range size: km2 Habitat characteristics Corn, soybeans, open water

21 Winter Use Areas Home range sizes Habitat characteristics CropScape

22 Winter Use Areas Home range size: km2 Habitat characteristics Corn, soybeans

23 Winter Use Areas Home range size: km2 Habitat characteristics Corn, soybeans

24 Summary Identify migration routes Following learned route on first spring migration in earlier years, now potentially following older birds No clear route fidelity Identify and describe stopover locations and winter use areas Large stopover and winter use areas, but variable UL birds winter or stopover within about km from learned route Flooded agricultural areas may be important to wintering Whooping Cranes Overall, different winter behavior from wild population

25 Summary Identify migration routes Following learned route on first spring migration in earlier years, now potentially following older birds No clear route fidelity Identify and describe stopover locations and winter use areas Large stopover and winter use areas, but variable UL birds winter or stopover within about km from learned route Flooded agricultural areas may be important to wintering Whooping Cranes Overall, different winter behavior from wild population

26 Summary Identify migration routes Following learned route on first spring migration in earlier years, now potentially following older birds No clear route fidelity Identify and describe stopover locations and winter use areas Large stopover and winter use areas, but variable UL birds winter or stopover within about km from learned route Flooded agricultural areas may be important to wintering Whooping Cranes Overall, different winter behavior from wild population

27 Thank you! Questions or Thanks to the following organizations: