Tracking Cranes
Do you ever wonder where the birds that live near your home spend the winter or summer? Some birds may spend the entire year in the same region, while others, such as the Whooping or Siberian Crane, migrate hundreds or thousands of miles each spring and fall between their winter and summer homes. To protect migratory species, such as cranes, we need to preserve important wetland areas where the birds summer and winter, but just as important, we also need to understand their migration routes to protect the places where they stop to rest and feed during their long journeys.
You are invited to join a team of international researchers as they study Siberian Cranes in east Asia. Together, we will learn how scientists study bird migration, biology and habitat needs, and discover how people that live hundreds or thousands of miles from each other are connected by migratory birds. It’s a long journey – nearly 3,000 miles – so put on your waders (we’ll be walking through wetlands!), grab your binoculars, and join us in this exciting study!
To get started, click on the links below...
- Siberian Cranes
Although there are over 3,000 Siberian Cranes, conservationists classify this species as Critically Endangered. As with the Whooping Crane in North America, wetland loss and uncontrolled hunting have contributed to the decline of the Siberian Crane in Eurasia. Learn more...
Researchers face a unique challenge when studying bird migration, as it is often difficult or impossible to follow birds as they migrate hundreds or thousands of miles between their breeding and wintering areas. It is also often impossible to identify individual birds among large flocks (have you ever tried to follow a duck or goose in a large flock on a lake or river near your home?). So, how do researchers study bird migration? Read more...
Are you ready to join our field team in east Asia? Click on the link below...
These weekly field updates from our researchers in Russia, China and the United States follow the yearly cycle of the Siberian Crane, beginning on the population's breeding grounds in northeastern Russia and following their migration route south through eastern China. Through these updates, students will learn first hand about field research and explore why this research is important for conserving cranes and many other wildlife species in east Asia. With each field update, a short activity or questions are suggested to lead student discussion of the update topic. The student activities focus on the geography of east Asia, crane biology, Siberian Crane conservation, study research methods, and the people of east Asia. Learn more...