Migrating whooping crane activity near U.S. Air Force bases and airfields in Oklahoma

The Aransas-Wood Buffalo population of Grus americana (Linnaeus, 1758; whooping cranes) migrates through the U.S. Great Plains, encountering places substantially altered by human activity. Using telemetry data from 2017 to 2022, we investigated whooping crane migration behavior around U.S. Air Force bases in Oklahoma. Our study focused on potential collision risks between whooping cranes and aircraft, a substantial concern for aviation safety. We determined that activity was greatest at Kegelman Air Force Auxiliary Airfield, near whooping crane critical habitat. On average, 61 percent of marked whooping cranes used locations west of Kegelman Air Force Auxiliary Airfield and Vance Air Force Base during autumn migration and 55 percent during spring migration, and few cranes approached within 5 kilometers of airfields. Flight characteristics revealed seasonal variations in altitude and timing; cranes flew at lower altitudes in autumn and had distinct flight patterns. Additionally, we assessed temporal aspects of migration, identifying average arrival and departure dates for spring and autumn migrations. Cranes indicated consistency in seasonal presence, which may aid in risk assessments. Our findings underscore the importance of monitoring potential interactions between whooping cranes and aircraft, particularly around whooping crane critical habitat like the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. Detailed summaries of migration patterns and flight behavior can be used to assist the U.S. Air Force in assessing collision risks and developing mitigation strategies. Furthermore, these summaries can provide insights for the conservation efforts of this endangered species managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and serve as a step towards mitigating risks to aviation safety and the recovery of whooping cranes.