In this study, I modeled the suitability of habitat on the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge for the federally endangered Mississippi Sandhill Crane (Grus Canadensis pulla). Habitat type and suitability changed over time due to seasonality of vegetation and succession in the absence of burning. Cranes used highly suitable habitat more in the non-growing than in the growing season, and may have been more constrained by resource availability during winter months. Cranes used some less-suitable areas including cypress drains, which provide roosting sites, and supplemental food plots. The mismatch between predicted quality and crane use suggests that no single habitat provides all resources required for the population to persist. Prescribed burning to maintain grassland habitat is essential for maintaining high quality habitat for cranes. The relative availability of food on supplemental food plots and grasslands, as well as the behavior of cranes toward roads, require additional investigation.

A substantial portion of the remaining coastal pine savanna in the southeastern U.S. is burned periodically to maintain habitat for the endangered Mississippi Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis pulla). However, the effects of this burning on other species of birds are unknown. Therefore, a one-summer study was conducted to determine the short-term response of non-target bird species to changes in vegetation structure due to winter prescribed burning of coastal pine savanna. Eight 25-ha study plots were censused using the spot-mapping technique from May - July 1995 at the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. More species were observed on old burn sites (burned 1.5 - 3.5 yr prior to the study) than new burn sites (burned the previous winter). Gross vegetation features did not differ between treatments. A total of 17 breeding species were recorded during the study. Although there were no significant differences within individual species' densities, seven species were observed only on old burn sites. Winter prescribed burning affected the presence of only shrub-characteristic species. / Department of Biology

Low recruitment is the largest challenge facing the recovery of the critically endangered Mississippi Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis pulla). Lack of information on sources of nest failure hinders effective management to increase recruitment. I examined sources of nest failure for 54 nests at the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, 2008-2009. Nest cameras identified predation as the primary source of failure, followed by flooding, abandonment, and egg inviability. Mean daily survival rate (DSR) was 0.72. The best approximating models included covariates for season date, temperature and nest age. DSR decreased with increasing season date, increasing nest age, and decreasing temperature. Hypotheses related to effects of renesting, human disturbance, precipitation, flooding, and winter rain were not supported. Because predation has been identified as a primary source of nest failure, I also monitored mammalian predators on the MSCNWR. Coyotes and raccoons were most common, with gray foxes, red foxes, domestic dogs, and bobcats also detected frequently.

The genetic status of the critically endangered Mississippi sandhill crane (Grus canadensis pulla) was analyzed using 2009 studbook data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service managed captive breeding and release program. Microsatellite DNA data provided information on shared founder genotypes, allowing for refined analysis of genetic variation in the population, and informed breeding recommendations. The genetic variation observed in the Mississippi sandhill crane was contrasted with variation observed in the Florida sandhill crane (Grus canadensis pratensis). Results show far less variation in the Mississippi population. Results also suggest that while gene flow no longer occurs between the two populations, the introduction of cranes from the Florida population would help to increase the observed genetic diversity of the Mississippi sandhill crane population.