SATELLITE TRACKING OF THE MIGRATION OF THE RED-CROWNED CRANE GRUS-JAPONENSIS

Autumn migration routes of red-crowned cranes, Grus japonensis, from t wo continental east Asian sites were documented in detail by satellite tracking. Two routes were identified: a 2200 km western route from Ru ssia's Khingansky Nature Reserve to coastal Jiangsu Province, China; a nd a 900 km eastern route from Lake Khanka (Russia) to the Korean Peni nsula and the Demilitarized Zone. The most important rest-sites were i dentified as Panjin Marsh (China), coastal mudflats south-east of Tang shan City (China), the Yellow River mouth (China), Tumen River mouth ( North Korea/China/Russia), Kumya (North Korea) and Cholwon (Korean DMZ ). Movements within the wintering range were also recorded, including complex commuting between sites by individual cranes and patterns of d aily movements within sites. These data should prove useful for conser vation of the flyway.