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Ozcranes Research
Scientific research is the foundation for our understanding of Brolgas, Sarus Cranes, their behaviour and ecology, and interactions with industries like agriculture and tourism. Ozcranes Research highlights knowledge gaps and presents or links to studies that advance our understanding of cranes and their conservation.
We also publicise research support activities like wetland bird monitoring and bird record database projects, where the public can make valuable contributions to current and future research. Research students, birdwatching groups monitoring cranes in wetlands, and others, are welcome to post project summaries and diary events – please contact us.
Current research
A number of long term studies and two recent PhD projects have articles and project pages on Ozcranes (most recent updates on top):
- Elinor Scambler, North Queensland Crane Counts»
- Tim Nevard PhD Study, Brolga-Sarus interactions»
- John Grant, links to long term studies»
- Inka Veltheim PhD Study, Brolga population SW Victoria»
- Gulf breeding study 2017-»
- Matthew Herring, Bitterns in Rice»
A magazine article and preliminary scientific report on the Brolga Genetics Project can be read at Nature Glenelg Trust». The full scientific paper can be downloaded through Google Scholar Search».
Latest papers
Links to latest papers from research on Brolgas and Australian Sarus Cranes:
- Elinor C. Scambler, John DA Grant and N. Glenn Holmes (2020). First observations of Australian Sarus Crane Antigone antigone gillae pairs attending three young and the incidence of three-egg clutches in the Brolga A. rubicunda. Australian Field Ornithology 37: 105-111. For the first time, Sarus Crane pairs have been recorded in Australia with three young (or ‘triplets’). The paper also reviewed 3-egg clutches in Brolgas, which is more common than previously thought. See Australian Field Ornithology.
- Dunne HI, Scambler EC. 2020. First observation of a Brolga Antigone rubicunda preying on eggs and of water-kicking behaviour by Australasian Grebes Tachybaptus novaehollandiae as a nest-defence. Australan Field Ornithology 37: 119-123. See Australian Field Ornithology.
- Elinor Scambler, Tim Nevard, Graham Harrington, Ceinwen Edwards, Virginia Simmonds and Don Frainklin: Numbers, distribution and behaviour of Australian Sarus Cranes Antigone antigone gillae and Brolgas A. rubicunda at wintering roosts on the Atherton Tablelands, far north Queensland, Australia. (2020). Abstract and References available at Australian Field Ornithology.
- Elinor Scambler: Jim Bravery's cranes: Brolgas and Sarus Cranes on the Atherton Tablelands, 1920-1975. (2020). Full paper available at the North Queensland Naturalist.
- Tim Nevard et al. (2020). Subspecies in the Sarus Crane Antigone antigone revisited; with particular reference to the Australian population. Full paper available at PLOS ONE.
- Inka Veltheim et al. (2019). Breeding home range movements of pre-fledged brolga chicks, Antigone rubicunda (Gruidae) in Victoria, Australia – Implications for wind farm planning and conservation. Full version available at the link.
- KS Gopi Sundar, John DA Grant, Inka Veltheim, Swati Kittur, Kate Brandis, Michael A McCarthy and Elinor C Scambler. (2019). Sympatric cranes in northern Australia: abundance, breeding success, habitat preference and diet. Abstract available at the link.
- Tim Nevard et al. (2020).The sarolga: conservation implications of genetic and visual evidence for hybridization between the brolga Antigone rubicunda and the Australian sarus crane Antigone antigone gillae – abstract available at the link.
- Tim Nevard et al. (2019). Agriculture, brolgas and Australian sarus cranes on the Atherton Tablelands, Australia – abstract and references available at the link.
- Tim Nevard et al. (2018). Farming and cranes on the Atherton Tablelands, Australia – abstract and references available at the link.
TOPResearch abstracts, articles, posters
Authors have kindly allowed Ozcranes to post abstracts or full downloads for theses and scientific papers:
- Kristie King thesis on flocking SW Victoria Brolgas»
- Brolga thesis abstracts»
- Sarus Crane scientific paper abstracts»
- Research papers for download»
- Crane Poster abstracts»
Ozcranes Research Report Series: Popular articles presenting research studies and findings:
- Crane Counts: background and team work: Elinor Scambler»
- Jim Bravery and the history of the Wongabel-Nyleta roosts: Elinor Scambler»
- History of the Lakeside roost, Tinaroo: Elinor Scambler»
- One size does not fit all, Wetlands in Victoria as Brolga real estate: K.S. Gopi Sundar»
- Breeding for Success, a story of the Sarus in Queensland: K.S. Gopi Sundar»
- Dancing Brolgas: Matthew Herring»
- Tableland studies and ‘Bird in the Hand’: John Grant»
- Gulf breeding surveys: John Grant»
- Burning for Brolgas, Restoring wetlands with grazing and fire: Elinor Scambler»
Crane Specialist Group
The Crane Specialist Group» includes four Australians working on crane research and conservation. The Crane Specialist Group (CSG) is a network of specialists convened by the International Crane Foundation (ICF), for the Species Survival Commission (Wetlands International/ IUCN). Read bios, research and other interests for the Australian members, John D A Grant, Inka Veltheim, Tim Nevard and Elinor Scambler.
Knowledge Gaps
Knowledge Gaps» looks at recent research that's resolved long term questions, and ogoing challenges where knowledge gaps remain.
Monitoring projects
Ogoing projects monitoring Brolgas and/or Sarus Cranes in key locations include north Queensland Crane Counts and SW Victoria Brolga counts, see Diary for details.
Sightings and Databases
Sightings projects are a great indicator of advancing community input towards work on Australian cranes. Ozcranes recommends people submit their observations and counts to relevant databases or projects, all give valuable data for crane research and conservation.
Birdata and eBird:At Birdata, report sightings or explore data (free registration and login required). Ozcranes recommends full flock counts using Brolga, Sarus Crane, and Crane Species. Flock counting provides more valuable data on distribution, species associations and movements than simple presence-absence records. Sightings can also be submitted, and maps explored, through eBird Australia. Suggested sites:
- The Atherton Tablelands KBA and Gulf Plains KBA (map and information here)
- Roadside crops and wetlands (including farm impoundments) on roads south of Innot Hot Springs (-17.67, 145.24)
- Karumba (-17.67, 141.07) to Normanton and 200km S to junction of Wills & Burke Developmental Rds
- Normanton W to Burketown (-17.74, 139.55)
- Records of Sarus Cranes S of -18.5 S, from Augustus Downs-Bang Bang Jumpup-Wondoola and any unfledged young W of the Bynoe and Flinders Rivers.
Range extensions, Queensland:Please report to Birds Queensland
Northern Brolga-Sarus PhD:Report banded birds and possible hybrid sightings to Tim Nevard or write to PO Box 809 Ravenshoe, Queensland, Australia 4888.
Brolga Study, SW Victoria:Report sightings of banded Brolgas to Inka Veltheim.
BRG Brolga sightings:The Brolga Recovery Group accepts sightings for western Victoria/ SE South Australia, sightings are forwarded to state and regional databases. Contributions also welcomed to their Brolga photo gallery (offline as at August 2020).
About Research
Ozcranes ‘About Research’ Science Tour» asks: What's scientific research? How is it different from the mass of information flooding out of government agencies, lobby groups, the internet? Read some interesting examples from crane research, to get comfortable with terms like peer-review, grey literature and abstract, and use them to weigh up claims or statements about cranes and their environment.
