Map of Whooping Crane stopover site use intensity within the Great Plains from satellite telemetered birds, 2010-2014
Dates
Publication Date
2015
Start Date
2010
End Date
2014
Citation
Aaron T. Pearse, David A. Brandt, Wade C. Harrell, Kristine L. Metzger, David M. Baasch, and Trevor J. Hefley, 2015, Map of Whooping Crane stopover site use intensity within the Great Plains from satellite telemetered birds, 2010-2014: U.S. Geological Survey: Reston, VA, http://dx.doi.org/10.5066/F7862DHM.
Summary
Whooping cranes (Grus americana) of the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population migrate twice each year through the Great Plains in North America. Recovery activities for this endangered species include providing adequate places to stop and rest during migration, which are generally referred to as stopover sites. To assist in recovery efforts, initial estimates of stopover site use intensity are presented, which provide opportunity to identify areas across the migration range used more intensively by whooping cranes. We used location data acquired from 58 unique individuals fitted with platform transmitting terminals that collected global position system locations. Radio-tagged birds provided 2,158 stopover sites over 10 migrations and 5 years [...]
Summary
Whooping cranes (Grus americana) of the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population migrate twice each year through the Great Plains in North America. Recovery activities for this endangered species include providing adequate places to stop and rest during migration, which are generally referred to as stopover sites. To assist in recovery efforts, initial estimates of stopover site use intensity are presented, which provide opportunity to identify areas across the migration range used more intensively by whooping cranes. We used location data acquired from 58 unique individuals fitted with platform transmitting terminals that collected global position system locations. Radio-tagged birds provided 2,158 stopover sites over 10 migrations and 5 years (2010-14). Using a grid-based approach, we identified 1,095 20-square-kilometer grid cells that contained stopover sites. We categorized occupied grid cells based on density of stopover sites and the amount of time cranes spent in the area. This assessment resulted in four categories of stopover site use: unoccupied (white), low intensity (beige), core intensity (green), and extended-use core intensity (red).
