INTERACTIONS OF SANDHILL CRANES AND WHOOPING CRANES WITH FOREIGN OBJECTS IN FLORIDA

Authors

MARTIN J. FOLK, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
STEPHEN A. NESBITT, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionFollow
MARILYN G. SPALDING, University of FloridaFollow

Date of this Version

2001

Document Type

Article

Citation

Folk, Martin J., Nesbitt, Stephen A., and Spalding, Marilyn G. Interactions of sandhill cranes and whooping cranes with foreign objects in Florida. 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. 195-197.

Comments

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

Abstract

During studies of Florida sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis pralensis), greater sandhill cranes (G. c. tabida), and whooping cranes (G. americana) in Florida, we documented cases where these birds were in contact with human-produced objects that resulted in injury or death. We describe >40 instances in which cranes collided with powerlines or fences, became entangled in string or fishing line, or ingested foreign objects. The effect of human-produced objects on crane populations, particularly small populations, may be significant.