Florida sandhill crane use and nesting in managed dry prairie

Habitat loss is the primary threat to Florida sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis pratensis) and few land management efforts are specific to the subspecies on Florida's public lands. We examined nest density and vegetation structure before and after roller-chopping (i.e., mechanical control of saw palmetto [Serenoa repens] and other dense shrubs) and prescribed fire. From 2014 to 2016, Florida sandhill crane nesting was monitored before and following treatments in native dry prairie at Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area (TLWMA) and in nonnative improved pasture at an adjacent privately owned ranch, Kenansville, Florida, USA. Treatments reduced vegetation height and density around marshes that had dense saw palmetto unlike control marshes where saw palmetto height increased and there was little change in density. Treatments also decreased shrub densities by 13.4% and increased grass densities by 15% in the dry prairie, making them structurally more similar to pastures. However, nest density did not increase in the TLWMA dry prairie after roller-chopping and burning during the project time frame. Colonization of new areas by cranes, including those recently roller-chopped and burned, may require time and longer-term monitoring.

Automated summary

Habitat loss is a major threat to Florida sandhill cranes. Control measures such as roller-chopping and prescribed fire can reduce vegetation density and height, making the dry prairie more suitable for the species. However, the increase in nest density was not observed during the project timeframe, suggesting that longer-term monitoring is needed to determine if the cranes will colonize the newly treated areas.