Confirmed Sandhill Crane Nesting in Yakima County, Washington

Abstract

The sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) is a Washington State endangered species, and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Yakama Indian Nation sensitive species (Yakama Indian Reservation Forest Management Plan 1993-2002). In Washington, the only recent (since 1979) confirmed nesting by sandhill cranes has occurred at Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Klickitat Co. (T6N R12E). The refuge is located within the exterior boundary of the Yakama Indian Reservation (YIR), in an area that is open to the public. However, I have observed either pairs or single sandhill cranes each year since 1991 at a wet meadow in the forested portion of the YIR in Yakima Co. that is closed to the public. This meadow is 35 km northeast from the nests at Conboy Lake. The meadow (T9N R13E) covers approximately 79 ha. Vegetation consists of willows (Salix spp.), sedges (Carex spp.), tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa) and timber oatgrass (Danthonia intermedia) located in stringers between stands of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) cover type or mixed conifer cover type (predominantly Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii] or grand fir [Abies grandis] with some ponderosa pine [Pinus ponderosa] and western larch [Larix occidentalis]). Portions of the meadow have standing water. This meadow is probably the same area that Jewett et al. (1953. Birds of Washington State. Seattle: Univ Washington Pr) listed for a 1941 nest: 2 adults and a nest with 2 eggs were in a swamp near Signal Peak, at 1372 m. This nest was on a small island covered with low shrubs. To my knowledge, this was the last confirmed nesting record for sandhill cranes in the forested area of the YIR. Each spring and summer since 1991 I have scanned this meadow for sandhill cranes. Before 1994, the earliest date I observed a pair was 5 April 1993, the latest, 23 June 1993. On 17 June 1994, I found a pair of sandhill cranes with 1 young at this meadow. I returned daily from 20 to 24 June, but saw no cranes. On 5 July, I flew over the meadow in a helicopter and observed 2 adults but no young nor nest. During the flight I surveyed other suitable meadow habitat, but saw no cranes. The latest I saw 2 adults (but no young) at the original meadow was 20 July. From 24 July to 15 August, this portion of the YIR was closed for fire suppression; field work was not possible. I did not attempt to locate birds after 15 August. Littlefield (1994. Draft Pacific Flyway management plan for the Central Valley population of greater sandhill cranes. Princeton OR: USDI Fish and Wildlife Service) reported a 6% mean recruitment of sandhill cranes from 1970 to 1985 at Malheur NWR. Poor recruitment was attributed to predation by coyotes (Canis Intrans), starvation of young because food may be limited by low water levels, and livestock grazing. The summer of 1994 was exceptionally dry on the YIR, although the meadow in which I observed the cranes had standing water on 20 July. Coyotes are also numerous here. This meadow is located within a grazing unit, but cattle generally reach it after 15 July. The major land-use practice nearby is timber harvest, but there is a 20 m no-entry buffer around this meadow. There is logging traffic nearby, however. During May through July 1994 there were approximately 4 log truck trips per day past the site. Since 1984, young sandhill cranes have survived to the flight stage at Conboy Lake NWR every year except 1994 (H. Cole, pers. comm.). I suspect that during 1994 the young sandhill crane that I observed perished. Tribal biologists will continue to monitor this meadow and other suitable habitat for sandhill crane occurrence.