Sandhill Cranes – Captive Breeding

Mississippi Sandhill Cranes – Captive Breeding

They’re about 4 feet tall with a six foot wingspan. Dark grey plumage, white cheeks and bright red crown on top of their head. It’s the Mississippi Sandhill Crane, an endangered species that’s slowly coming back with the help of a captive breeding program and habitat management. I’m Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet.

Ambience: cries of distant older cranes in distance

Hereford: Two birds saw us and they’re guard-calling. The chicks over here are responding to them with the chick version of guard call. Right there – chicks.

We’re with Scott Hereford, senior wildlife biologist at the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. We’re in a blind just outside a large penned area where there are two Sandhill crane chicks. The chicks can’t see us, but two adult cranes nearby can, and they’re signaling the chicks with guard calls.

Hereford: These free-flying birds. They’re visiting the pen area, ’cause there’s new cranes there. They want to check them out. We acclimate the young for a month. And that is to ground them so they see this as the center of their home range. And also so they interact safely with free-flying birds. So, in a couple of weeks when we release them, they will join with the sub-adult group or a pair. They’ll show them the ropes. And it’s better that as you can imagine, they slowly expand their home range. That’s why we keep them here for a month. If we didn’t, they might just take off and go ten miles away and just like anybody else here, (you’re) going to survive better if you slowly expand your neighborhood.

In 1975, there were an estimated 35 Mississippi Sandhill Cranes. Thanks to the captive breeding program, about 130 cranes now make their home in the refuge. I’m Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet.

Sandhill Cranes - Captive Breeding

Keeping rare birds home on the range.
Air Date:03/15/2022
Scientist:
Transcript:

Mississippi Sandhill Cranes – Captive Breeding They're about 4 feet tall with a six foot wingspan. Dark grey plumage, white cheeks and bright red crown on top of their head. It's the Mississippi Sandhill Crane, an endangered species that's slowly coming back with the help of a captive breeding program and habitat management. I'm Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet. Ambience: cries of distant older cranes in distance Hereford: Two birds saw us and they're guard-calling. The chicks over here are responding to them with the chick version of guard call. Right there - chicks. We're with Scott Hereford, senior wildlife biologist at the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. We're in a blind just outside a large penned area where there are two Sandhill crane chicks. The chicks can't see us, but two adult cranes nearby can, and they're signaling the chicks with guard calls. Hereford: These free-flying birds. They're visiting the pen area, 'cause there's new cranes there. They want to check them out. We acclimate the young for a month. And that is to ground them so they see this as the center of their home range. And also so they interact safely with free-flying birds. So, in a couple of weeks when we release them, they will join with the sub-adult group or a pair. They'll show them the ropes. And it's better that as you can imagine, they slowly expand their home range. That's why we keep them here for a month. If we didn't, they might just take off and go ten miles away and just like anybody else here, (you're) going to survive better if you slowly expand your neighborhood. In 1975, there were an estimated 35 Mississippi Sandhill Cranes. Thanks to the captive breeding program, about 130 cranes now make their home in the refuge. I'm Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet.