WILDLIFE DAMAGE COSTScrop farmers an estimated $41 million each year. In some parts of Ontario, the number one culprit is the sandhill crane — and the problem continues to grow. As the population and range of the birds expand across the province, so does the impact on Ontario’s farmers. A GROWING PROBLEM “Most Ontario farmers aren’t even aware of sandhill cranes,” says Christopher Sharp, population management biologist for the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), Environment and Climate Change Canada. But in areas that are along their migratory path — primarily northern and central Ontario — sandhill cranes can cause significant crop losses, particularly in agricultural areas on the fringes of the boreal forest. Nearly extinct at the turn of the 20th century, the sandhill crane population now stands at more than 14,000. Mary Feldskov ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 27 SEPTEMBER 2022 Research The potential damage to crops depends on the time of the year and the stage of the crop in relation to the birds’ migration. In the spring, sandhill cranes can cause significant damage to corn by digging up and eating the seeds, with farmers reporting having to replant entire fields of corn. In the late summer and fall, cereal crops and potatoes are most at risk. “Farmers have reported losing an entire crop of barley just days before harvest,” says Sharp, noting that the bulk of the loss is due to trampling rather than being consumed by the cranes. “The losses can be quite dramatic,” says Birgit Martin, who farms on Manitoulin Island. This spring, she had to replant approximately 25 per cent of her corn acres due to sandhill crane damage. “When the corn is first emerging, the cranes go plant by plant, pulling out the plant and eating the seed.” continued on page 28 “Crop insurance pays for the replant, but then the crop is three weeks late, and there is a cost in terms of the time you spend replanting.” Sharp says that there are some mitigation strategies that farmers can try to help prevent crop losses, including hazing or scaring (without using aircraft or a firearm, which requires a permit), modifying farm practices such as changing crops (e.g. substituting barley with oats or wheat), delaying planting to avoid the cranes’ migration, or planting lure crops — potato farmers, for example, have had success growing barley as a cover crop, which is more desirable for the cranes, to prevent damage to their potato fields. Sandhill cranes ONTARIO FARMS HIT HARD WITH CROP DAMAGE
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