Crane Dangers Alarm Wildlife Officials
By Corinne Hautala
March 15, 2007 Newscast
Cranes use this portion of the Platte River more than any other
area. ”One of the highest causes
of death for them is power lines, which makes this critical,” said
Central Nebraska and the Platte River are home to
thousands of Sandhill cranes right now. The Platte is an essential stop
for cranes, providing them with food and rest, but a nearby danger is
causing hundreds of birds to die there.
It’s not a job envied by most. Three times a week, surveyors tread
the Platte River looking for dead birds. “We found a large amount
of mortality going on,” said Bob Harms,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The study began last year to determine how deadly the two power lines
that cross the Platte River at Rowe Sanctuary are to the birds’ migration.
Last year in March alone, they counted almost a hundred birds. That doesn’t
take into account the birds that drift down the stream or the ones picked
up from other wildlife animals.
“When it is windy, a bird cannot easily move, and at night, they cannot
see the line,” said Harms.
In an attempt to alleviate the problem, Dawson Public Power District
added bright yellow diverters on the wires.“Those have not been very effective, judging by number of birds we are
finding,” Harms said.
In a team effort, Dawson Public Power District, Rowe Sanctuary, The Fish
and Wildlife Service, and Nebraska’s Game and Parks commission
are looking for a solution.
Power lines killing the birds violate the Migratory Bird Treaty Act,
so some sort of action has to be taken. That’s why the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service is paying $23,000 for new diverters that glow in
”We really prefer to bury lines, but that is really expensive,” Harms
The new diverters will also help save an endangered species. Whooping
Cranes use this portion of the Platte River more than any other area. ”One
of the highest causes of death for them is power lines, which makes this
critical,” said Harms.