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Species Assessment for the Whooping Crane (Grus Americana)

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Species Assessment for the Whooping Crane (Grus Americana) SPECIES ASSESSMENT FOR THE WHOOPING CRANE (GRUS AMERICANA ) IN WYOMING prepared by 1 2 AMBER TRAVSKY AND DR. GARY P. BEAUVAIS 1 Real West Natural Resource Consulting, 1116 Albin Street, Laramie, WY 82072, 307-742-3506 2 Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Dept. 3381, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, 307-766-3023 prepared for United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office Cheyenne, Wyoming October 2004 Travsky and Beauvais - Grus americana October 2004 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 3 NATURAL HISTORY ........................................................................................................................... 4 Morphological Description........................................................................................................... 4 Taxonomy and Distribution ......................................................................................................... 5 Taxonomy .......................................................................................................................................5 Historic Distribution........................................................................................................................6 Current Distribution ........................................................................................................................7 Wood Buffalo/ Aransas ............................................................................................................7 Florida nonmigratory................................................................................................................8 Wisconsin - Florida migratory..................................................................................................8 Recently extirpated Rocky Mountain .......................................................................................9 Habitat Requirements ............................................................................................................... 10 Breeding Habitat ...........................................................................................................................10 Migration Habitat ..........................................................................................................................11 Wintering Habitat..........................................................................................................................11 Area Requirements........................................................................................................................12 Reproduction and Survivorship................................................................................................. 13 Breeding Behavior.........................................................................................................................13 Breeding Phenology ......................................................................................................................13 Fecundity and Survivorship ..........................................................................................................14 Population Demographics......................................................................................................... 14 Limiting Factors ............................................................................................................................14 Population Dynamics ....................................................................................................................15 Genetic Concerns ..........................................................................................................................15 Food Habits ............................................................................................................................... 16 Foraging Strategy and Flexibility..................................................................................................16 CONSERVATION .............................................................................................................................. 16 Conservation Status.................................................................................................................. 16 Federal Endangered Species Act...................................................................................................16 USDI Bureau of Land Management..............................................................................................17 USDA Forest Service....................................................................................................................17 State Wildlife Agencies.................................................................................................................17 Heritage Ranks and Wyoming Contribution Rank........................................................................18 Biological Conservation Issues................................................................................................. 18 Abundance in Wyoming................................................................................................................18 Trends in Wyoming.......................................................................................................................19 Range Context in Wyoming..........................................................................................................19 Intrinsic Vulnerability in Wyoming ..............................................................................................20 Extrinsic Threats and Reasons for Decline ...................................................................................20 Protected Areas .............................................................................................................................21 Population Viability Assessment ..................................................................................................21 CONSERVATION ACTION ................................................................................................................ 22 Existing and Future Conservation Plans................................................................................... 22 Page 1 of 32 Travsky and Beauvais - Grus americana October 2004 INFORMATION NEEDS ..................................................................................................................... 24 TABLES AND FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... 26 Figure 1. Photo of Whooping Cranes in adult plumage ...............................................................26 Figure 2. Flight silhouettes of cranes and herons.........................................................................26 Figure 3. Map of current and former whooping crane migration routes and breeding and wintering grounds .........................................................................................................27 Figure 4. Migration route of the Wood Buffalo/ Aransas population of whooping cranes..........27 Figure 5. Documented observations of whooping cranes in Wyoming .......................................28 LITERATURE CITED ........................................................................................................................ 29 Page 2 of 32 Travsky and Beauvais - Grus americana October 2004 Introduction The federally Endangered whooping crane ( Grus americana ) is snowy white and stands almost 1.5 m tall, with an adult wingspan of 2m. Black wingtips are visible in flight, as are the long neck and legs extended beyond the tail. In the breeding season "whoopers" are usually found as singles or pairs. During migration they can be found as singles or small groups up to 6-7 birds. Family groups of 3 birds (pair of adults and single young) are also observed. The whooping crane occurs exclusively in North America. Historically breeding range stretched from Alberta across the northeastern Great Plains to the southern end of Lake Michigan. Historic wintering grounds included the highlands of northern Mexico, the Texas gulf coast, and portions of the Atlantic coast. Non-migratory populations occurred in Louisiana and possibly other areas of the southeastern U.S. The species declined rapidly in the late 1800s and early 1900s as a result of hunting, collecting, and widespread conversion of habitat to agriculture and urban centers. By 1940 only one self-sustaining flock remained. As of winter 2003-2004 the adult whooping crane population numbered 312 in the wild and 114 in captivity. In the wild the species exists in three separate populations: the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population; a migratory population in Florida (winter) and Wisconsin (breeding); and an experimental non-migratory population in central Florida. An experimental, cross-fostered (whooping crane chicks raised by free-ranging sandhill cranes [ G. canadensis ]) population in the Rocky Mountains of the U.S. persisted for some years in the late 20 th century, but no longer supports any whooping cranes. In addition to the wild populations, whooping cranes are maintained in captivity at eight locations. Page 3 of 32 Travsky and Beauvais - Grus americana October 2004 Natural History The whooping crane is the rarest of the world’s 15 crane species. The species’ historic decline, near extinction,
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