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systematic surveys is intended to provide a known chance for observing crane use throughout the <br />study area. Daily flights will be conducted in early morning during the period when whooping <br />cranes are most likely to be in route between the wintering and breeding grounds. This <br />component of the whooping crane monitoring is important because of accessibility problems <br />associated with monitoring whooping cranes from the ground. Flights will take place over the <br />main river channel in the morning and over fields on the return flight. <br />Opportunistic Locates <br />Birdwatchers, outdoor enthusiasts, farmers, and other survey efforts might make initial <br />observations of whooping crane groups in the study area. Sighting reports from these and other <br />groups (labeled "opportunistic locates ") may provide additional information on crane stopover <br />occurrences, but the conclusions are only applicable to the areas searched by the people that <br />would report a sighting. An analysis of habitat use by cranes sighted opportunistically is <br />outlined in this protocol. But locations of whooping cranes obtained through this method are <br />biased and quantifying the bias due to the location and amount of effort expended to obtain these <br />observations is not planned. <br />Survey Detection Rates <br />Whooping crane decoys and actual whooping cranes will be used to document the accuracy of <br />whooping crane detection from the aerial survey. Crane decoys will be placed randomly <br />throughout the study area and the detection by the aerial survey crew will be recorded when it is <br />known the flight crew could have spotted decoy. When a whooping crane is in the study area <br />and in the vicinity of the daily flight, the detection by the aerial survey crew will be documented. <br />III. B.2 Movement Tracking <br />After a crane group is located, either through aerial surveys or opportunistically, a ground crew <br />will be notified to confirm the sighting and begin immediate monitoring to document habitat use. <br />The ground crew(s) will locate the cranes with directions from the sighting party and will <br />document crane movements, document crane use site activities, and describe the physical and <br />biological attributes of use sites. Each crane group will be tracked continuously until they are <br />observed leaving the study site or are lost by the tracking crew. Cranes will be observed at a <br />distance from vehicles to document movements. Monitoring crews will be trained to be aware of <br />crane sensitivity to human presence, to identify behavioral responses to disturbance, and to view <br />cranes using methods that reduce the likelihood of disturbance. Crews will strictly adhere to <br />guidelines regarding minimization or elimination of crane disturbance, to be provided by the <br />FWS, while conducting the monitoring. <br />III A3. Activity Monitoring <br />While monitoring crane movements, ground crews will collect information on crane activities. <br />The field crew will record each activity conducted by the cranes. After the crane group departs <br />each location the observer will estimate what activity was most frequent and the percent time <br />spent conducting that activity. The additional information may help interpret crane use at <br />individual sites. <br />III. B. 4. Use -Site Characteristics <br />February 23, 2001 Draft — WC Monitoring Protocol 4 <br />