Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Breeding Range. (Fig 56). Former breeding records and records of occurrence during the breeding season indicate that Sandhill Cranes probably had been fairly common, local breeding residents in the northern half of the Agassiz Lake Plain and northern half of the Southern Drift Plain, and throughout the Northeastern and Northwestern Drift Plains, Missouri Coteau, Coteau Slope, and Turtle Mountains. Observations by Grinnell (1875) suggest that a few breeding pairs also occurred locally on the Missouri Slope.
The local breeding populations of Sandhill Cranes declined rapidly during the late 1800's and early 1900's. By the early 1920's, this species apparently had been entirely extirpated as a breeding bird from the state. The principal causative factors, all related to activities of man, include hunting pressure by the white settlers and visiting sportsmen; habitat destruction due to agricultural development; and the "scientific" collecting of eggs, young birds, and breeding adults by local hobbyists and by visiting ornithologists from the east.
One recent breeding record was reported from McHenry County. During late June, 1973, a pair accompanied by a downy young crane was closely observed on the J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge (Fields et al., 1974).
Breeding-season records of the Sandhill Crane in North Dakota during the 1800's and early 1900's are listed in chronological order as follows:
1843--On June 6, a young Sandhill Crane was observed along the Missouri River near the mouth of the Heart River, and on July 16, one was observed along the Yellowstone River near Fort Union (Audubon 1897).1850--On June 13, two young Sandhill Cranes, one very small and the other larger, were picked up by boat pilots at two locations along a stretch of the Missouri River below Fort Berthold (Culbertson 1850).
1863--On July 21, nesting cranes were observed at Lake Jessie in Griggs County (White 1966).
1873--During the summer, Coues (1878) after leaving Pembina [travelling westward along the Canadian boundary] observed this species apparently breeding commonly throughout the area, extending through the Mouse River country. Common breeder in the Turtle Mountains (Coues 1875); newly hatched young were collected in July near the Turtle Mountains (Coues 1874b).
1874--During July, this species was observed occasionally on the plains between Fort Lincoln and the Black Hills of South Dakota (Grinnell 1875).
1883-1884--In 1883, a colony of 8 or 10 found on the Big Slough in the Bowesmont-Glasston area of Pembina County; it formerly was very plentiful in this area and nested until 1884 (Williams 1926).
1890- 1896--On June 9, a full set of eggs was collected in Towner County; breeding commonly in the county on isolated sloughs (Judd 1917).
1895--On June 5, one egg was collected, and on June 10, two eggs were collected at Rock Lake in Towner County by W. H. Hoyt and E. T. Judd (Bishop egg collection catalog, Peabody Museum). On June 12, an adult and a newly hatched young bird were collected near the south end of Rock Lake (Bishop 1935).
1896-1897--In 1896, a nest was found in the Devils Lake region [possibly Stump Lake area]; and on May 5, 1897, three lone cranes on lookout were observed in the area (Rolfe 1898a).
1896-1899--Sets of eggs were collected in 1896 and 1898 (Rolfe 1899b) and in 1899 (Rolfe 1900b) in an area about 50 miles west of Minnewaukan.
1905--Apparently breeding (an adult standing sentinel), along the Big Coulee of southwestern Benson County (Peabody 1905).
1910--Nesting at Marstonmoor in western Stutsman County in 1910 and probably in 1911 (H. H. McCumber).
1912-1913--During the spring of 1912, Mr. H. E. Peck found two young birds near Twin Lakes, about 25 miles southwest of Kenmare, and raised one of them until it was full grown; on July 18, 1913, an adult was observed in this vicinity (V. Bailey).
1914--In June, Sandhill Cranes were found nesting at Chase Lake in western Stutsman County (H. H. McCumber). Prior to 1915, farmers reported Sandhill Cranes nesting in Burke County on Stink Lake, 35 miles from Kenmare and 100 yards from Dead Dog Lake (Woodruff 1923).
1915--During June 22-30, two were seen in swamps along the Turtle River in Grand Forks County near Larimore (R. Kellogg). Reported nesting near Larimore (A. Eastgate).
1916--Found nesting within 20 miles of Kenmare (H. E. Peck). Recorded at Marstonmoor in western Stutsman County on June 26, 1916 (H. H. McCumber).
? year--Reported as formerly nesting [probably in early 1900's] in Stutsman County near Woodworth in Township T142N,R68W (Tommy Thompson vide L. M. Kirsch).
? year--Breeds at Devils Lake (Rolfe 1898a).
? year--Breeds at Minnewaukan (Rolfe 1900b).
? year--Formerly a common breeder in the vicinity of Grafton in Walsh County (Williams 1926).
? year--Common breeder near Cando (E. T. Judd).
? year--Rare breeder near Bathgate (Bowen).
? year--Rare breeder near Valley City (Parkhouse).
Breeding Habitat. Large, isolated sloughs dominated by cattails, bulrushes, and various marsh grasses, furnished the principal breeding habitat for Sandhill Cranes in most areas (Judd 1917, Williams 1926, and Wood 1923). Locally, large, shallow swales or fens that were situated on wide valley floors of coulees and ravines were also used to a considerable extent (Rolfe 1898c and 1899b, and Peabody 1905). Many of these valley lowlands were supplied by slowly moving water from springs and seepage areas, which often created local quagmire conditions. The vegetation in these particular habitats was usually dominated by a variety of grasses, sedges, and cattails that are characteristic of boggy, water-saturated soils.
On May 5, 1897, along a coulee supplied with flowing water from a wood-bordered lake in the Devils Lake region, three lone cranes on the lookout were stationed at intervals over a distance of 5 miles--an almost sure sign of setting birds (Rolfe 1898a). The coulee stream was found to spread out here and there and thus provided conditions for development of a thick growth of reeds, rushes, and marsh grass that would serve as nesting cover.
Nesting. Breeding season: Late April to mid-August; peak, early May to late July. Extreme egg dates (5 nests): May 1 [1899] in McHenry County (Rolfe 1899b) to July 9 [1890-1896] in Towner County (Judd 1917). Extreme dates of dependent young (6 broods): June 6 [1843] in Morton County (Audubon 1897) to July [1873 - newly hatched young] in Rolette County (Coues 1874b).
Rolfe (1899b) described a nest that he found in 1898 about 50 miles west of Minnewaukan. It was located in a narrow strip of marsh along a small stream on a flat valley floor, 1/4 to 1/2: mile wide between high bluffs. The nest was situated on a small, flat hummock rising from shallow water among the rushes. A few coarse weed stalks carelessly laid on the bare earth of the hummock represented the sole effort at nest-making.
Indicated clutch size (5 nests): 1 to 2 eggs; mean, 1.8 eggs.
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| Figure 56. Breeding Range of Sandhill Crane. |
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
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