Migration routes and stopover sites of Black-necked Cranes determined by satellite tracking |
| |
Authors: | Fawen Qian Heqi Wu Libo Gao Huige Zhang Fengshan Li Xingyao Zhong Xiaojun Yang Guangmei Zheng |
| |
Institution: | College of Life Science, Beijing Normal University, 100875, People's Republic of China;Institute of Forestry Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, People's Republic of China;Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 Jiaochang Donglu, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, People's Republic of China;Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, People's Republic of China;International Crane Foundation, E-11376 Shady Lane Road, Baraboo, Wisconsin 53913, USA;Dashanbao Black-necked Crane National Nature Reserve Management Bureau, Yunnan 657000, People's Republic of China |
| |
Abstract: | ABSTRACT. Because their breeding and wintering areas are in remote locations, little is known about the biology of Black-necked Cranes ( Grus nigricollis ), including their migratory behavior. Using satellite telemetry, we monitored the migration of Black-necked Cranes ( N = 6) in China to determine migration routes and the location of stopover sites. From 2005 to 2007, four cranes were tracked during two spring migrations and one fall migration, one was tracked during one spring and one fall migration, and one was tracked during one spring migration. On average, the cranes made seven flights over a 5-d period to migrate 651 km to breeding areas in the spring. In the fall, birds averaged six flights in 5 d to migrate 694 km. The routes traveled by cranes during spring and autumn migration were similar. Both the migration distances and duration of migration are the shortest reported for any crane species to date. Most stopover sites were in areas along rivers and close to wetlands in the Daliang Mountains and the Ruoergai Plateau. Conservation measures are needed to reduce habitat loss (wetland and pasture) in the Daliang Mountains and establish a reserve for stopover sites in the Ruoergai marshes, such as Longriba and Bai River in Hongyuan County. |
| |
Keywords: | conservation Grus nigricollis habitat migration PTTs stopover site |
|
|