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Blake (1974) estimated the juvenile percentage of <br />the fall staging flock to be 25-27 percent. <br />Male and female sandhill cranes share incubation <br />duties. On the nest, incubating cranes were <br />observed sitting almost motionless for several <br />hours. Fcr example, one bird cbserved stood up <br />every 2 to 3 hours and worked with the eggs for a <br />few minutes. At these times, it probed about in <br />the water about the nest, possibly searching for <br />food. It then settletl down and resumed incubation. <br />When one parent returned to the nest, it usually <br />flew to within 50 m of the nest and walked toward <br />it. When it reached the nest, the incubating crane <br />would walk off and begin feedng in the general area <br />of the nest. After 15 to 20 min., this crane would <br />fly off to feed at areas 0.4-0.8 km from the nest <br />site. Meanwhile, the parent assuming incubation <br />duties would work with the eggs and then settle <br />down on the nest... <br />After the chicks .left the nest, the family <br />maintained a regular daily routine, feeding from <br />early morning to mid-morning, napping and preening <br />during midday, and feeding in late afternoon and <br />evening until they roosted for the night. When <br />only a few days old,. chicks were fed by both <br />parents. After capturing food, an adult would walk <br />over to the chick, bend its neck down and offer <br />food to the offspring. Older chicks were observed <br />running back and forth between adults to receive <br />food. Chicks were always close to one or the other <br />parent. One chick already fledged was observed <br />resting 20 m away from its parents. But when <br />danger threatened, both parents ran toward it and <br />one remained with it until the danger no longer <br />threatened. <br />After chicks hatched in June, the families moved <br />away from the willow drainage bottoms, upslope to <br />the sagebrush ridges and the fringes of the aspen <br />stands. At these higher elevations the cranes used <br />the aspen stands as cover while standing, roosting, <br />or loafing. Occasionally, birds were found up to <br />20 m into the trees. Crane families were observed <br />frequently using the aspen stands in both 1976 and <br />1977. Some families did not utilize the aspen <br />stands, instead they remained on the open sagebrush <br />ridges where they fed, slept, and loafed. <br />Until the family groups began increasing their <br />movements in preparation for fall staging, they <br />4 <br />