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83-696: Burns Bog is an ombrotrophic peat bog located in Delta, British Columbia , Canada. It is the largest raised peat bog and the largest undeveloped urban land mass on the West Coast of the Americas. Burns Bog was originally 4,000–4,900 hectares (9,900–12,100 acres) before development. Currently, only 3,500 hectares (8,600 acres) remain of the bog. Burns Bog is habitat to more than 300 plant and animal species, and 175 bird species. Some of these animals are listed as endangered (i.e. red-listed) or vulnerable (i.e. blue-listed) under

166-719: A Ramsar Wetland of International Significance . The bog was listed as part of the Fraser River Delta Ramsar site No. 243, along with South Arm Marshes, Sturgeon Bank, Boundary Bay , Serpentine, and Alaksen . Burns Bog is listed under the Fraser River Delta Ramsar Site as a wetland of international significance because it is a major migratory bird stopover on the Pacific Flyway . It also provides feeding and roosting for approximately 250,000 migratory and wintering waterfowl, and 1 million shorebirds. The bog

249-404: A breeding pair build the nest using plant material from the surrounding area. Nest sites are usually marshes, bogs, or swales, though occasionally on dry land. Females lay one to three (usually two) oval, dull brown eggs with reddish markings. Both parents incubate the eggs for about 30 days. The chicks are precocial; they hatch covered in down, with their eyes open, and able to leave the nest within

332-405: A day. The parents brood the chicks for up to three weeks after hatching, feeding them intensively for the first few weeks, then gradually less frequently until they reach independence at 9 to 10 months old. The chicks remain with their parents until one to two months before the parents lay the next clutch of eggs the following year, remaining with them for 10–12 months. After leaving their parents,

415-554: A description of the sandhill crane in the third volume of his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds . He used the English name "The Brown and Ash-colour'd Crane". Edwards based his hand-coloured etching on a preserved specimen that had been brought to London from the Hudson Bay area of Canada by James Isham . When in 1758 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for

498-502: A halt in Burns Bog, the damage is still being felt today. The City of Delta is working to recover as much of Burns Bog as they can. Metro Vancouver and the City of Delta work alongside university students to monitor the health of Burns Bog. MK Delta Lands Group is proposing to build an industrial park in Burns Bog. The company plans to build west of Highway 91. Construction of an overpass leading to

581-535: A humanoid creature reportedly seen in the Point Pleasant , West Virginia area from November 1966 to December 1967 is thought to have originated from sightings of out-of-migration sandhill cranes. In 2023 the "Mississippi sandhill crane" was featured on a United States Postal Service Forever stamp as part of the Endangered Species set, based on a photograph from Joel Sartore 's Photo Ark . The stamp

664-449: A prehistoric relative, or it may comprise material of a sandhill crane and its ancestor. Sandhill cranes vary considerably in size (much of which is clinal ) and in migratory habits. A female of A. c. canadensis averages 3.46 kg (7.6 lb), 94 cm (37 in) in length, and has a wingspan of 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in). A male of A. c. tabida averages 5 kg (11 lb), 119 cm (47 in) in length, and has

747-458: A range in the southern U.S. and maybe northern Mexico, where they were resident. The southern migratory population would then represent a later re-expansion, which (re-) evolved their migratory habits independent from the northernmost birds, the geographically separated populations expanding rapidly when more habitat was available as the last ice age ended. Sandhill cranes are fairly social birds that usually live in pairs or family groups through

830-412: A species, the three southernmost subspecies are quite rare. Resident populations, not migratory birds, cannot choose secure breeding habitat. Many subpopulations were destroyed by hunting or habitat change. The greater sandhill crane proper initially suffered most; by 1940, probably fewer than 1,000 birds remained. Populations have since increased greatly again. At nearly 100,000, they are still fewer than

913-600: A stoop. In New Mexico, humans hunt them with a permit granted in a lottery draw during late fall. There are a total of 17 states that allow hunting of Sandhill Cranes. Sandhill cranes defend themselves and their young from aerial predators by jumping and kicking. Actively brooding adults are more likely to react aggressively to potential predators to defend their chicks than wintering birds, which most often normally try to evade attacks on foot or in flight. For land predators such as dogs, foxes, and coyotes, they move forward, often hissing, with their wings open and bills pointed. If

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996-424: A very slow rate in the bog, carbon stays in the bog. High acidity and the waterlogged conditions of peatlands such as Burns Bog prevent complete decomposition of fixed carbon. This prevents the carbon from escaping into the atmosphere. European scientists state that an area of peatland the size of a soccer field stores as much carbon as would be generated by driving a family car around the world three times. Burns Bog

1079-528: A wingspan of 2.12 m (6 ft 11 in). The southern subspecies (along with A. c. rowani ) are intermediate, roughly according to Bergmann's rule . Three subspecies are resident: A. c. pulla of the Gulf Coast of the U.S. , A. c. pratensis of Florida and Georgia , and A. c. nesiotes of Cuba . The northern populations exist as fragmented remains in the contiguous U.S. and a large and contiguous population from Canada to Beringia . These migrate to

1162-436: Is a key characteristic of these ecosystems. However, while ombrotrophic peat decomposes slowly, some nutrient release does occur. For example, microelements like zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) are easily mobilized. Additionally, the presence of more nutrient-demanding species in drainage channels draining ombrotrophic bog areas suggests nutrient removal from these ecosystems. Vegetation in ombrotrophic bogs

1245-784: Is adapted to survive in nutrient-poor conditions, with Sphagnum mosses playing a critical role in its nutrient cycle and retention. The addition of extra nutrients and its effects on vegetation and the carbon cycle can impact an ombrotrophic bog. Increased atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is a major concern in northern ecosystems, which are typically nutrient-limited. Some studies suggest that N deposition may increase ecosystems' carbon dioxide (CO2) sink potential by stimulating plant productivity. High N deposition levels in Europe have led to changes in plant species composition in peatlands and tundra , with documented increases in vascular plant biomass and decreases in moss abundance, particularly

1328-525: Is closed off to the public due to safety and conservation concerns. A small portion of Burns Bog is accessible to the public. This area is referred to as the Delta Nature Reserve and is 148 acres (60 ha) in size. The Delta Nature Reserve gives a glimpse of the bog's lagg zone, which is the transition zone between a peat bog and the external ecosystems. The lagg zone is crucial to the bog's survival. Lagg zones in peat bogs are critical for keeping

1411-565: Is highly acidic and low in oxygen; thus, the fish cannot live in these conditions. First Nation bands used the land in Burns Bog for thousands of years. These bands were the Tsawwassen , Semiahmoo , Sto:lo , Katzie , and Musqueam First Nations peoples. First Nations practiced the regulated burning of land patches. This was to promote growth of different berries. Berries such as the bog blueberry and cranberry were an important part of their diet. Another source of food came from animals living in

1494-416: Is home to a number of endangered and vulnerable animal species. Today, 525 acres (212 ha) of Burns Bog remains private land. This land is not protected under the conservancy plan set up by the levels of government. Thus, these parcels of land are vulnerable to project proposals. Development has isolated Burns Bog from other natural areas. Roads cut off safe passageways for animals to get into and out of

1577-590: Is legal throughout the states of the Central Flyway, from the Dakotas and Wyoming south to Oklahoma and Texas. Nebraska is the sole state along the Central Flyway where hunting cranes is illegal. Despite losses from hunting, interspecies competition and other pressures such as habitat loss, the species has expanded its range. Since the early 2000s, the sandhill crane has expanded both its winter (nonbreeding) and breeding ranges northward, including into upstate New York. In

1660-524: Is ombrotrophic. In contrast to ombrotrophic environments, minerotrophic environments are those where the water supply comes mainly from streams or springs. This water has flowed over or through rocks often acquiring dissolved chemicals which raise the nutrient levels and reduce the acidity, which leads to different vegetation such as fen or poor fen . In most cases, ombrotrophic bogs are extremely nutrient deficient, relying solely on precipitation and atmospheric dust for nutrient supply. This deficiency

1743-608: Is said to be of this species , but this may be from a prehistoric relative or ancestor of sandhill cranes, and not belong in the genus Grus . The oldest unequivocal sandhill crane fossil is 2.5 million years old, older by half than the earliest remains of most living species of birds, primarily found from after the Pliocene / Pleistocene boundary some 1.8 million years ago. As these ancient sandhill cranes varied as much in size as present-day birds, those Pliocene fossils are sometimes described as new species. Grus haydeni may have been

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1826-492: Is unclear whether this pattern would continue under higher N deposition levels. With a warmer and drier climate , without the effect of N deposition, bog communities in Canada are likely to shift and could become weaker C sinks or even C sources. Ombrotrophic bogs have also been assessed for their uses as archives of atmospheric mercury deposition. This involves studying the solid state distributions of mercury and other metals in

1909-405: Is used by the plants via evaporation, or moved into the air via transpiration . Proper hydrology of the bog is critical to its survival. The water level needs to be high enough so that it can sustain growth of sphagnum moss. A low water table in bogs can lead to irreversible drying of bogland, which can be detrimental to its ecosystem. In Burns Bog, the water table fluctuates at different times in

1992-546: Is useful to cranes preparing for migration, providing them with nutrients for the long journey. Among northern races of sandhill cranes, their diet is most varied, especially among breeding birds. They variously feed on berries , small mammals , insects , snails , reptiles , and amphibians . Sandhill cranes raise one brood per year. In nonmigratory populations, laying begins between December and August. In migratory populations, laying usually begins in April or May. Both members of

2075-637: The Platte River , on the edge of Nebraska 's Sandhills on the American Great Plains . Sandhill cranes are known to frequent the edges of bodies of water. The central Platte River valley in Nebraska is the most important stopover area for the nominotypical subspecies , the great sandhill crane ( A. c. canadensis ), with up to 450,000 of these birds migrating through annually. In 1750, English naturalist George Edwards included an illustration and

2158-467: The Southwestern United States and Mexico . These cranes are rare vagrants to China, South Korea , and Japan and very rare vagrants to Western Europe . Six subspecies have been recognized in recent times: The Florida sandhill crane was listed as EC or easily confused to facilitate an attempted reintroduction of the whooping crane ( Grus americana ) into Florida. The attempt failed, but

2241-477: The tenth edition , he placed the sandhill crane with herons and cranes in the genus Ardea . Linnaeus included a brief description, coined the binomial name Ardea canadensis , and cited Edwards' work. The sandhill crane was formerly placed in the genus Grus , but a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 found that the genus, as then defined, was polyphyletic . In the resulting rearrangement to create monophyletic genera, four species, including

2324-470: The 21st century, parts of the Midwestern United States have seen an extensive rebound of the species. The transplantation of wild birds and introduction of captive-reared birds into suitable low-population areas have been called viable management techniques. The Mississippi sandhill crane has lost the most range; it used to live along most of the northern Gulf of Mexico coast, and its range

2407-545: The BC Provincial Government Species at-risk designations. The bog is also a major migratory stopover for various bird species on the Pacific Flyway . Burns Bog regulates water as well. The bog prevents flooding, maintains cool water temperatures in nearby rivers, holds water, and releases water in dry conditions. Burns Bog is an estuarine bog since it is situated at the mouth of the Fraser River and next to

2490-502: The Pacific Ocean. The major characteristics of Burns Bog is that it is wet, acidic, and peat-forming. It is a wetland ecosystem with a diverse array of plant, animal, and insect species. A major component of Burns Bog is sphagnum moss , which is able to hold about 30 times its weight in water. Sphagnum moss can grow under wet and acidic conditions and it is the major building block of peat in Burns Bog. Breakdown of organic matter in

2573-490: The US Government purchased peat from Burns Bog to catalyze the formation of firebombs. More than 100,000 bales of peat were shipped to Las Vegas during the war period. By the early 1940s, seventy percent of the bog was affected by peat extraction. Railways were constructed during the peat harvesting era as well. In the 1950s, a company called Western Peat built 16 kilometres of railway in Burns Bog. The railway still exists in

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2656-413: The aquatic environment was capable of preserving dead plant material in the form of peat. At this time, peat was composed of grass and woody plants. The depression did not contain sphagnum moss until 3,000 years later. As the peat deposits increased, the main water source changed from nutrient-rich flood water and ground water to nutrient-poor rainfall. Continuous organic matter build-up on the surface of

2739-464: The area. Hunting of black bears, black-tailed deer, elks, and ducks were common. Fishing in the creeks nearby provided First Nations with dietary supplements. In fact, the oldest known fishing archaeological site near Burns Bog is estimated to be 4,500 years old. Cedar trees in the region were used by First Nations to construct infrastructure, transportation, and clothing. Totem poles were built using cedar as well. First Nations people utilized some of

2822-413: The banks of the waterways rather than in the lodges. Other animals that can be found in Burns Bog are the redback vole, pacific water shrew , barred owl , great blue heron , snow shoe hare , great horned owl , coyote, geese, ducks, California gull , painted turtle , red-legged frog , and woodpeckers . Fish have been seen at the edge of Burns Bog, but none are known to live inside the bog. The water

2905-457: The blaze. This included firebreaks being bulldozed and dikes to raise the water level in the hopes of extinguishing any of the fire burning underground. BC Fire Service's Air Tanker Centre dispatched a fleet of air tankers to assist in putting out the blaze. This included four Firecats, two Convair 580s and the Martin Mars water bombers, which are the world's largest air tankers. Eight days after

2988-441: The bog progresses slowly due to low oxygen content and high acidity of the water. Burns Bog plays a major role in climate regulation. It helps to maintain the health of nearby creeks, which are critical salmon-bearing sites. The peat in the bog does this by cooling and filtering rainwater that comes in. This water then leaches into these salmon-bearing creeks. Burns Bog is also a major carbon sink . Since organic matter decomposes at

3071-540: The bog to understand postdepositional transport processes and the immobility of deposited trace metals. It was found that mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) are immobile in ombrotrophic peat, indicating that their distribution can be used to determine temporal changes in deposition and suggesting that ombrotrophic bogs can serve as reliable records of historic atmospheric mercury deposition. Historic atmospheric mercury deposition in Arlberg Bog, Minnesota , increased gradually after

3154-446: The bog today. There have been various development plans proposed in Burns Bog. In 1988, Western Delta Lands proposed the development of a deep-sea port on Burns Bog. After much public opposition, Delta Council rejected the proposal. The company tried twice again in 1990 and 1991, but both proposals were defeated. In 1995, well-known British bog expert David Bellamy visited Burns Bog. Upon seeing its globally unique ecosystem, he urged

3237-537: The bog's conservation since development plans were first proposed in 1988. Burns Bog was first requested to be designated an ecological reserve came in 1991. The proposal was rejected by most of Delta Council, with plans for reconsideration at the City's Official Community Plan. By 1999, hundreds of letters were sent by the community to Delta Council asking them to save Burns Bog. In 2004, four levels of government came together to purchase 2,025 hectares (5,000 acres) of land for $ 73 million. The four levels of government were

3320-407: The bog. This increases the likelihood of animal injury and mortality. The construction of Highway 91 has prevented periodic flooding and drainage that previously fed into the bog. A University of British Columbia study states that construction of Highway 91 and 99 caused Burns Bog to shrink significantly in size. Burns Bog functions as a single living organism. The smaller it gets, the less chance

3403-428: The characteristic red foreheads, making it possible to distinguish the children from the parents, even when they are the same height. The sexes look alike. Sizes vary among the different subspecies ; the average height of these birds is around 80 to 136 cm (2 ft 7 in to 4 ft 6 in). Their wing chords are typically 41.8–60 cm (16.5–23.6 in), tails are 10–26.4 cm (3.9–10.4 in),

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3486-441: The chicks form nomadic flocks with other juveniles and nonbreeders. They remain in these flocks until they form breeding pairs between two and seven years old. As a conspicuous ground-dwelling species, sandhill cranes are at risk from a few predators. Corvids , such as ravens and crows , gulls , jaegers , raptors and mammals such as foxes , coyotes and racoons feed on young cranes and eggs. In Oregon and California ,

3569-485: The city of Vancouver in smoke and ash for two days. The fire destroyed 200 hectares (490 acres) of land and cost over $ 200,000 to put out. Another fire broke out in Burns Bog on September 11, 2005. The fire broke out near the south eastern edge of the bog. Smoke and ash covered the entire Lower Mainland and spread all the way to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. The fire expanded to 200 hectares (490 acres) hectares after three days. Large-scale fighting methods were used to combat

3652-1333: The community to protect the bog. Bellamy stated that the bog would be protected if it were in Europe. Unfortunately, nothing came of his advice until a few years later. In 1996, Delta, the City of Vancouver, and GVRD struck a deal to move the Vancouver Landfill to the southern region of Burns Bog. In 1999, 75% of Delta voters agree to have the government purchase Burns Bog for conservation. The "yes" vote led to taxpayer contribution (0.3% levy included in utility taxes in 2001 for possible purchase of Burns Bog). Western Delta Lands proposed development plans in Burns Bog yet again in 1999, which prompts an ecosystem review of Burns Bog. A comprehensive study of Burns Bog's ecosystem indicated that 73% of Burns Bog (~2,200 hectares (5,400 acres) of 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) must be protected to maintain its ecological integrity. After much public rallying, four levels of government purchase 2,024 hectares (5,000 acres) of land from Western Delta Lands. Dry peat can catch and spread fire rapidly. Thus, fires in Burns Bog can burn underground for months in methane-rich peat. Large fires occurred in Burns Bog in 1977, twice in 1990, 1994, 1996, 2005, 2007, and 2016. The 1996 fire engulfed

3735-510: The community. In February 2017, the City of Delta took over responsibility for the ongoing maintenance of all boardwalks in the Delta Nature Reserve. Metro Vancouver now manages the Delta Nature Reserve. Ombrotrophic Ombrotrophic circumstances may occur even in landscapes composed of limestone or other nutrient-rich substrates – for example, in high-rainfall areas, limestone boulders may be capped by acidic ombrotrophic bog vegetation. Epiphytic vegetation (plants growing on other plants)

3818-413: The cows were too heavy and easily stuck in the bog. Some of them ate the poisonous plants in the bog. Thus, the cattle farm closed and moved up north. The bog was later named after Dominic Burns. Peat mining in Burns Bog started in the 1930s. Mined peat was used for agricultural purposes, weapon production, and as a fuel to heat homes. Two peat plants were established in Burns Bog. During World War II ,

3901-516: The depression made the peat more acidic. The surface of this wetland slowly separated from groundwater sources, and the environment switched from a fen to a bog. A fen contains more nutrients than a raised peat bog; ergo, the ecosystems are very different. Many years after the appearance of sphagnum moss in the depression, peat accumulated thickest near the centre of the bog. Today, there are 12 species of sphagnum moss that can be found in Burns Bog. Burns Bog receives water primarily from rainfall. Water

3984-443: The entire bog has of surviving. The Vancouver Landfill poses two risks to Burns Bog. The first risk is that breakdown of garbage produces more nutrients, which is the opposite of what a bog needs. The second risk is that there may be contaminated water leeching from the landfill into the bog. Engineers have designed the landfill in a way that minimizes these risks to Burns bog. While the logging industry and peat mining have come to

4067-477: The exposed culmens are 6.9–16 cm (2.7–6.3 in) long, and the tarsi measure 15.5–26.6 cm (6.1–10.5 in). Wingspan is 78.7 in (200 cm). These cranes frequently give a loud, trumpeting call that suggests a rolled "r" in the throat, and they can be heard from a long distance. Mated pairs of cranes engage in "unison calling". The cranes stand close together, calling in a synchronized and complex duet. The female makes two calls for every one from

4150-481: The federal government, the provincial government, Metro Vancouver, and The Corporation of Delta. Burns Bog was officially designated as an Ecological Conservancy Area in 2005. Priority of the area was conservation and not public use. A special permit issued by Metro Vancouver is required to enter the conservancy area. On September 22, 2012, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands announced designation of Burns Bog as

4233-480: The fire first set blaze, Delta municipality announced that the fire was in "mop-up" stages. On July 3, 2016, another fire broke out and grew to 78 hectares (190 acres) over the next three days. More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze using helicopters and air tankers, with additional crew. The Delta community and environmental organizations such as the Burns Bog Conservation Society rallied for

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4316-425: The four largest subpopulation now are larger than they were in the 1994–2002 surveys. Primary threats to Cuban sandhill cranes are habitat loss due to tree planting, spreading shrubs, expanding agriculture and fires, predation by non-native mammals (dogs, mongooses and feral pigs ), and poaching. Population fragmentation is also a problem, as all remaining localities are separated by distances that are greater than

4399-527: The genus Sphagnum . This moss is critical in bogs for its ability to absorb and retain moisture and nutrients from the atmosphere, and to retard vascular plant growth, thus contributing to carbon (C) sequestration . Atmospheric N deposition in North America is lower than in Europe. Studies in boreal peatlands in Canada have reported a positive correlation between wet N deposition and C accumulation, but it

4482-409: The high water table of the bog. They are the transition zones between low-nutrient peat bogs and the high-nutrient, or in this case human disturbed, areas. Different ecosystems work together to maintain the health of the bog. The Burns Bog Conservation Society has built more than 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) of boardwalk in the Delta Nature Reserve. They provide a safe and easy access to all members of

4565-460: The larger males is 4.57 kg (10.1 lb), while the average weight of females is 4.02 kg (8.9 lb), with a range of 2.7 to 6.7 kg (6.0 to 14.8 lb) across the subspecies. Sandhill cranes have red foreheads, white cheeks, and long, dark, pointed bills . In flight, their long, dark legs trail behind, and their long necks keep straight. Immature birds have reddish-brown upperparts and gray underparts. The juveniles do not have

4648-607: The largest distances non-migratory sandhill cranes are known to move. Sandhill cranes occasionally reach Europe as vagrants . The first British record was on Fair Isle in April 1981, and the second was in Shetland in 1991. Small groups have also been seen in parts of eastern China and Taiwan . In 2022, reports emerged of regular sightings of sandhill cranes in New Brunswick , on the Atlantic coast of Canada. The mythical Mothman ,

4731-415: The lesser sandhill crane, which, at about 400,000 individuals continent-wide, is the most plentiful extant crane. Some migratory populations of sandhill cranes face population threats due to interspecies competition with snow geese . Since the 1990s, snow geese have eaten waste corn on which the cranes also rely prior to migration. Sandhill crane populations are also threatened by hunting. Hunting cranes

4814-749: The listing remained. The current list of endangered subspecies includes only two birds, A. c. nesiotes and A. c. rowani , with A. c. pratensis no longer listed. Sandhill cranes occur in pastures, open prairies and freshwater wetlands in peninsular Florida from the Everglades to the Okefenokee Swamp. Some authorities no longer recognize Canadian sandhill crane as a distinct subspecies, as insignificant genetic differentiation and minimal morphological differentiation exist between it and greater sandhill crane. The others can be somewhat more reliably distinguished in hand by measurements and plumage details, apart from

4897-467: The main challenges is the infrequent sample intervals and the lack of chemical data on surface peat or sufficient information on habitat conditions. Although some nutrient release occurs in ombrotrophic peat, there is a significant gap in understanding the rate and depth of element release and how mobility varies within these ecosystems. Therefore, despite the recognition of their importance, ombrotrophic bogs remain relatively understudied , highlighting

4980-431: The male. Sandhill cranes' large wingspans, typically 1.65 to 2.30 m (5 ft 5 in to 7 ft 7 in), make them very skilled soaring birds, similar in style to hawks and eagles . Using thermals to obtain lift, they can stay aloft for many hours, requiring only occasional flapping of their wings, thus expending little energy. Migratory flocks contain hundreds of birds, and can create clear outlines of

5063-416: The mid-1800s, peaked between 1950 and 1960, and may have declined thereafter. Preindustrial deposition levels were estimated to be about 4 μg/m per year, while recent deposition levels were approximately 19 μg/m per year. The deposition of mercury in Arlberg Bog appeared to have been influenced by both regional and/or local-scale sources, highlighting the complex nature of atmospheric deposition patterns and

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5146-417: The modern era. Conceivably, they might be considered distinct species already, a monotypic G. canadensis and the greater sandhill crane, G. pratensis , which would include the other populations. The scant differences between southern Canadian and western U.S. populations appear to result from genetic drift , due to the recent reduction in population and range fragmentation. Until the early 20th century,

5229-436: The most serious predators of chicks are reportedly coyotes , ravens , raccoons , American mink , and great horned owls , roughly in descending order. Cranes of all ages can be hunted by both North American species of eagles , bobcats , and possibly American alligators . Additionally, there is a report that even a much smaller peregrine falcon has successfully killed a 3.1 kg (6.8 lb) adult sandhill crane in

5312-474: The need for further research to fill these knowledge gaps and gain a comprehensive understanding of their ecological processes. This ecology -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Sandhill crane and see text and see text The sandhill crane ( Antigone canadensis ) is a species of large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia . The common name of this bird refers to their habitat such as

5395-439: The need to consider multiple factors when studying metal deposition in ombrotrophic bogs. However, despite their significance as sources of fuel and horticultural peat moss, there is still much to uncover about the ecological and biogeochemical processes of ombrotrophic bogs. Chemical analyses of peat profiles could shed light on this aspect, but the data collected so far have not been adequate for such analysis. One of

5478-547: The normally invisible rising columns of air (thermals) they ride. Sandhill cranes fly south for the winter. In their wintering areas, they form flocks over 10,000. One place this happens is at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge , 100 miles (160 km) south of Albuquerque , New Mexico . An annual Sandhill Crane Festival is held there in November. Sandhill cranes have one of the longest fossil histories of any extant bird. A 10-million-year-old crane fossil from Nebraska

5561-501: The plants in Burns Bog for medicinal purposes. Labrador tea , western bog-laurel , sundew plants, and sphagnum moss were used to treat different medical conditions. For example, Labrador tea was used to treat sore throats, and coughs, among many other symptoms. Sphagnum moss was used as diapers and bandaids by the First Nations groups. In 1905, Dominic Burns and his brother purchased the bog. They wanted to raise cattle and sheep, but

5644-525: The predator persists, the crane stabs with its bill and kicks. They can even kill predators by piercing through the skull with their sharp beak, and even coyotes can be killed. In the 1930s, sandhill cranes were generally extirpated east of the Mississippi River , but their populations have recovered, with an estimated 98,000 in the region in 2018, a substantial increase over the previous year. Although sandhill cranes are not considered threatened as

5727-666: The rare plants found in Burns Bog. Carnivorous plant populations reside in the bog as well. The sundew plant can be found in the conservancy area and in the Delta Nature Reserve. Many skunk cabbage plants are seen in the Delta Nature Reserve during the summer months as well. Burns Bog is home to many animal species. According to the City of Delta, the bog sustains 175 bird species, 11 amphibian species, 41 species of mammals, 6 reptile species, and more than 4,000 invertebrates. The Greater Sandhill Crane , black-tailed deer , dragonflies , and eagles make Burns Bog their home. Beavers are found in Burns Bog and The Delta Nature Reserve. They live in

5810-671: The remaining populations are divided into ten localities (it formerly occurred in two additional localities) in six provinces . Based on the surveys from 1994 to 2002, six of the ten known localities each are home to less than 25 Cuban sandhill cranes; the last four each are home to more than 70. The two largest, one in the Zapata Swamp ( c. 120 cranes) and another on Isla de la Juventud ( c. 170 cranes), are increasing, whereas most other subpopulations appear to be stable, but some likely are too small for long-term survival and possibly are decreasing. Subsequent surveys indicate that at least

5893-526: The resident subspecies. The lesser and greater sandhill cranes are quite distinct, their divergence dating to roughly 2.3–1.2 million years ago , some time during the Late Pliocene or Early Pleistocene . Glaciation seemingly fragmented off a founder population of lesser sandhill cranes, because during each major ice age , its present breeding range was frozen year-round. Still, sandhill cranes are amply documented from fossil and subfossil remains right to

5976-514: The sandhill crane, were placed in the resurrected genus Antigone that had originally been erected by the German naturalist Ludwig Reichenbach in 1853. The specific epithet canadensis is the modern Latin word for "from Canada". Five subspecies are recognised: Adults are gray overall; during breeding, their plumage is usually much worn and stained, particularly in the migratory populations, and looks nearly ochre . The average weight of

6059-411: The site and a new water pump to drain the area of bog land is included in their plans. As part of their proposal, MK Delta is giving their other land parcels in Burns Bog (Lot A, B, C) to the City of Delta. The drainage, construction, and noise created from this project would be detrimental to Burns Bog's natural ecosystem. MK Delta Lands Group's application is still in the early stages. Most of Burns Bog

6142-426: The size differences already mentioned. Unequivocal identification often requires location information, which is often impossible in migrating birds. Analysis of control region mtDNA haplotype data shows two major lineages. The Arctic and the subarctic migratory population includes the lesser sandhill cranes. The other lineages can be divided into a migratory and some indistinct clusters which can be matched to

6225-447: The southern migratory birds occupied a much larger and continuous range. Thus, the subspecies A. c. rowani may well be abandoned. The two southern U.S. resident populations are somewhat more distinct. The Cuban population has been comparatively little studied, but appears to have been established on the island for a long time. They and the migratory greater sandhill cranes proper may form a group of lineages that diverged much later from

6308-400: The whooping cranes imprinted on their foster parents, later did not recognize other whooping cranes as their conspecifics , and unsuccessfully tried to pair with sandhill cranes, instead. The Cuban sandhill crane (subspecies A. c. nesiotes ) is not as rare as once believed and while it remains threatened its population is increasing. Based on very limited information, up until the 1990s it

6391-579: The year. During migration and winter, unrelated cranes come together to form "survival groups" that forage and roost together. Such groups often congregate at migration and winter sites, sometimes in the thousands. Sandhill cranes are mainly herbivorous, but eat various types of food, depending on availability. They often feed with their bills down to the ground as they root around for seeds and other foods, in shallow wetlands with vegetation or various upland habitats. Cranes readily eat cultivated foods such as corn , wheat , cottonseed , and sorghum . Waste corn

6474-431: The year. The water table tends to be high in the fall and winter periods, but drops during the summer months. There are more than 14 different plant communities in Burns Bog. The most important as deemed by the City of Delta are "peat-forming". Peat-forming plants are those that grow in places with a high water table (e.g. sphagnum mosses). Cloudberries , crowberry , velvet-leaf blueberry, and bog-rosemary are some of

6557-428: Was formed at the end of the last ice age, which was 10,000 years ago. At the time, the area was covered in huge glaciers. As the earth's atmospheric temperature started to rise, the glaciers melted. Sand, silt, and clay were deposited on top of the ground, which prevented water drainage at this location. This created a big pool of glacial water that had no means of escaping or draining. 6,000 years after glacial melting,

6640-508: Was occasionally removed from the nests, starting in 1965, to become part of a captive flock. This breeding flock is divided between the Audubon Institute's Species Survival Center and White Oak Conservation in Yulee, Florida . These cranes have produced offspring for annual releases into the refuge. A Mississippi sandhill crane was the first bird to hatch from an egg fertilized by sperm that

6723-411: Was once nearly parapatric with that of its eastern neighbor. As of 2013, about 25 breeding pairs exist in an intensively managed population. The Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge —established in 1975 when fewer than 35 of the birds existed—has the biggest release program for cranes on Earth, and 90% of the cranes there were raised in captivity. The second viable egg from a two-egg nest

6806-576: Was thawed from a cryogenic state. This occurred at the Audubon Institute , as part of this subspecies' endangered species recovery plan . In January 2019, 25 to 30 thousand cranes (both greater and lesser subspecies) were found wintering at the Whitewater Draw State Wildlife Area near McNeal in southeast Arizona. Sandhill cranes have been tried as foster parents for whooping cranes in reintroduction schemes. This failed when

6889-472: Was typically believed to consist of about 300 birds. Detailed surveys conducted from 1994 to 2002 resulted in an estimate of about 525 individuals, while surveys from 2004 to 2015 estimated that the population now was above 550. Subsequent reviews have placed the Cuban sandhill crane population at around 700 birds in 2017. They inhabit dry or seasonally flooded grasslands and savannas, as well as nearby wetlands, and

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