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
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
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
Background Eastern Migratory Population (2001-present) Costume-rearing Imprint on ultralight aircraft (UL) Follow planes on first migration fall Subsequent migrations are made independently
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
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
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
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
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
Satellite Telemetry Dataset All PTTs deployed on juvenile WHCR upon release 70 individuals from 2002 2014 Transmitters lasted up to 3.5 years 24,560 locations with error <1.5km
Migration Routes Are UL Whooping Cranes following the learned route on their first northward migration?
Migration Routes Are Whooping Cranes in this reintroduced population showing fidelity to migration routes?
Migration Routes Reverse spring migration documented
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 109.32 122.73 64 Spring 87.75 100.27 112 Winter 80.59 87.99 34 Sample Size
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 109.32 122.73 64 Spring 87.75 100.27 112 Winter 80.59 87.99 34 Sample Size
Stopover Locations Home range sizes 95% Minimum Convex Polygon Larger spring stopover areas, but highly variable Fall Stop Spring Stop Sample Size 64 112 Mean Home Range Size (km2) 182.34 1978.53 Range (km2) 0.01-2418.08 0.11-206336.33 Standard Deviation (km2) 406.84 19486.21
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 3 112.31 158.44 KY 4 119.50 45.05 IN 3 352.14 251.50 AL 20 683.52 1237.04 TN 16 1281.89 2813.33 FL 68 6699.34 21828.58 NC 2 19005.20 6601.18 Total 116 4036.27 17069.81
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 48.73 2012 Indiana 154.23 2013 Kentucky 76.22 2014 Kentucky 182.30
Winter Use Areas Home range size: 48.73 km2 Habitat characteristics Wetlands, open water
Winter Use Areas Home range size: 154.23 km2 Habitat characteristics Corn, soybeans, open water
Winter Use Areas Home range sizes Habitat characteristics CropScape
Winter Use Areas Home range size: 76.22 km2 Habitat characteristics Corn, soybeans
Winter Use Areas Home range size: 182.30 km2 Habitat characteristics Corn, soybeans
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 80-100 km from learned route Flooded agricultural areas may be important to wintering Whooping Cranes Overall, different winter behavior from wild population
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 80-100 km from learned route Flooded agricultural areas may be important to wintering Whooping Cranes Overall, different winter behavior from wild population
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 80-100 km from learned route Flooded agricultural areas may be important to wintering Whooping Cranes Overall, different winter behavior from wild population
Thank you! Questions or suggestions? hlthomp@g.clemson.edu @HillLThompson www.hillarylthompson.weebly.com Thanks to the following organizations: