North American Crane Working Group

 

Date of this Version

2001

Document Type

Article

Citation

Nesbitt, Stephen A. Aspects of reproduction and pair bonds in Florida sandhill cranes. In: Ellis, David H., ed., Proceedings of the Eighth North American Crane Workshop, 11–14 January 2000, Albuquerque, New Mexico (Seattle, Wash: North American Crane Working Group, 2001), pp. 31-35.

Comments

Reproduced by permission of the North American Crane Working Group (NACWG).

Abstract

From 1980-98 we captured and uniquely marked more than 400 Florida sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis prafensis). Age ratios of the marked population, excluding juveniles, was 66% adult and 33% subadult, and the sex ratio was 49% male and 51% female. Average clutch size for 210 nests checked from 1983-97 was 1.78 ± 0.18 (SD) and frequency of l-egg clutches varied among years. Average post-fledging brood size from 1991 to 1997 was 1.27 ± 0.17 (SD), included a 3-chick brood. Average percent ofYOlmg from 2 study areas, 1991-97 was 11.9 ± 3.23 (SD). We observed renesting up to 3 times, even after chicks had been hatched and reared for up to 16 days. Re-pairing following death or divorce was documented and was particularly noteworthy in a female that oscillated between 2 males during 4 years of observation.

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