Photo credit: Bruce Taubert

Objectives

Sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) are considered to be an important part of Minnesota’s natural heritage, and although they have expanded their breeding range in Minnesota, they remain a species of management concern. Our objectives of this study were to:

  1. Delineate the boundary between Mid-continent Population and Eastern Population sandhill cranes in Minnesota, allowing these populations to be more effectively managed as separate units.

  2. Evaluate year-round movement patterns (e.g., migration and habitat use) of Minnesota sandhill cranes.

Project Collaborators

Principle Investigators:

Graduate Student:

Collaborators:

Funding

Funding for this project was provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey (Science Support Program) through Research Work Order No. 101 at the U.S. Geological Survey, Minnesota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; by the Minnesota Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR); by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Webless Migratory Game Bird Program; and by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government, the University of Minnesota, or the State of Minnesota.