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THE WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY • Vol. 124. No. 4. December 2012 
were included when they were close to prior 
locations or along the logical migration path 
(Dubinin et al. 2010). 
We used ArcGIS (ESRI. Redlands. CA. USA), 
Hawth Tools (www.spatiaIecology.com), and a 
topographic map (Digital Elevation Model, 
http://eros.usgs.gov) to plot crane movements. 
We analyzed the relationship between migration 
routes and topography with these data. We made 
a rapid survey of staging sites along the 
migration routes and identified habitat types at 
the landscape level. We divided the landscape 
into three types: valley swamp, valley swamp 
along river, and lakeside swamp in accordance 
with vegetation and hydrology. We used ArcGIS 
to digitize the ETM satellite images, and 
computed areas of each landscape. Data are 
presented as mean ± SD. 
C). The two spring migrations both started in 
early April and covered 406.5 and 439.7 km in 2 
and 5 days, respectively. Crane ID 79631 
initiated fall migration on 17 October 2010 and 
arrived at Nupahai Marsh on 4 November 2010. 
19 days after initial departure from where it spent 
the summer. Five stopover sites were used during 
migration, one in Daocheng County, one in Baiyu 
County, and three in Litang County, Sichuan 
Province (Table 2). Different sites were used 
each year and time spent at each stopover site 
was highly variable, ranging from 0 to 10 days. 
Crane ID 79631 backtracked during spring 2010, 
leaving Napahai Marsh on 9 April and arriving at 
Cuoma Pond on 13 April. The crane turned back 
on 14 April to its last stopover site al Gehe 
Valley before returning to Cuoma Pond on 29 
April. 
RESULTS 
We received 9,158 (mean ± SD = 2,015 ± 
288.1, range = 1,622—2,298, n - 5 individuals 
location records from the five Black-neckec 
Cranes between February 2009 and December 
2010. About 21% (20.9%) of the records were in 
the highest accuracy categories (LC 2 or 3). 
21.2% were LC 1, 11.8% were LC 0. 19.8% were 
LC A, and 26.4% were LC B or Z. Overall 6 74^ 
(mean ± SD = 1.483 ± 261.7, range = 1.153- 
1 ’737, n = 5 individuals) location records 
provided usable information. 
Four ot the cranes tollowed the same migration 
route from wintering areas at Napahai Marsh to 
breeding areas while the other crane took a 
longer route (Fig. 2). Four cranes (PT'T ID 
79627, 79628. 79629, and 79630) completed 
one spring migration from Napahai Marsh to 
breeding areas at Haizishan Marsh in Daocheng 
County, Sichuan and returned in the autumn. 
Black-necked Cranes initiated spring migration 
between mid-April and early-June and fall 
migration between late-October and early-No- 
vember. Migration lasted 1 day and covered a 
mean distance of 174.5 km (n = 8. Table I). The 
four cranes followed the same migration route 
without stopover sites. 
mnoT In I? 63 ' W0S tracked ,rom 21 February 
2009 to 19 2010. It completed two spring 
Zlh' 0 ;, r r fa " mi S rati °" between 
Napaha, Marsh and a summering area at Cuoma 
ond, Sichuan. 1 his wetland included 37.9 ha of 
akes.de swamp at an elevation of 4.476 m asl 
(31 15 N, 99 52' E) (Tables 1, 2; Fig. 2A, B. 
The snow-covered Bangmanyi Range with an 
elevation of 4,200 to 5,300 m asl. 60 km east- 
west from Napahai Marsh, presented a barrier for 
crane ID 79631 on the first day of Spring 
migration in both 2009 and 2010. Crane ID 
79631 turned northwest and followed the lower 
Jinsha River Valley until the confluence of the 
.linsha and Xiangcheng rivers. Subsequently, 
crane ID 79631 turned northeast and proceeded 
around the Bangmanyi Mountains, eventually 
continuing to the breeding area (Fig. 3). Most 
Black-necked Cranes, based on our ground 
observations, started migration when thermals 
formed al noon (1000-1300 hrs). Thus, the 
cranes were able to climb to higher altitudes 
while expending little energy in the process by 
flying in a spiraling circular path within the 
thermals. 
DISCUSSION 
This study adds to our knowledge of the 
migratory behavior and distribution of Black¬ 
necked Cranes. We identified the Shaluli Moun¬ 
tain region as a new breeding area of Black¬ 
necked Cranes. We also directly observed breed¬ 
ing pairs of cranes in this region’in June 2010. We 
documented a migration route between the central 
subpopulation wintering area at Napahai Marsh. 
Yunnan and breeding areas in the Shaluli 
Mountain region, southwestern Sichuan. 
A migration route had been documented 
between Napahai Marsh and Yushu County. 
Qinghai based on a single banding recovery, and 
Daocheng County was identified as the staging 
area In this migration route (Wu et al. 1993. 
