North American Crane Working Group
Date of this Version
2001
Document Type
Article
Citation
Littlefield, Carroll D. Sandhill crane nest and egg characteristics at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon. 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. 40-44.
Abstract
For the period 1969-89, greater sandhill crane (Grus canadensis tabida) nest and egg characteristics were assessed for pairs on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (Malheur), Oregon. Nests mostly were in broad-fruited burreed (Sparganium eurycarpum) and hardstem bulrush (Scirpus acutus) and were constructed primarily of the same vegetative species that surrounded nests. Averages for nest parameters were diameter 127 xIII cm, crown diameter 77 x 69 cm, bowl diameter 41 x 37 em, bowl depth 5.8 em, nest height 12.4 em, and water depth 25.8 cm. Nests were placed in vegetation with a mean height of37.3 cm. Mean egg size was 98.9 x 62.3 mm. Sandhill crane nests at Malheur were larger and were built in deeper water than those reported elsewhere in the western United States. Mean egg size also was greater than has been reported from other regions.
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Comments
Reproduced by permission of the North American Crane Working Group (NACWG).