Experts Suspect Peanuts Caused Sandhill Crane Kill

Experts Suspect Peanuts Caused Sandhill Crane Kill
The Wichita Eagle
19 March 2006
Michael Pearce

Biologists say a field of moldy Texas peanuts led to the death of about 100 sandhill cranes at the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge.

Dave Hilley, refuge manager, said his staff noticed indications something was wrong on March 9.

Several cranes appeared weak and off-balance. An abundance of predators was another indication.

"We had a lot of eagles about that time, and we noticed five different groups of eagles feeding on carcasses on the Big Salt Marsh," Hilley said. "We got out our air boat and ATVs and searched where the cranes had been staying."

They found about 40 carcasses, and evidence where about another 60 sandhills had been scavenged by eagles and coyotes.

The condition of the live birds clued biologists they may have been suffering from some kind of paralysis from poisoning.

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