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Soil Investigations for Data Collection in the Delta Initial Study/Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration 59 migrates to the Central Valley of California to overwinter (Littlefield 2008). Foraging habitat is consistent with Greater Sandhill Crane (although the foraging values of crop types differ between the two subspecies) and consists mainly of harvested corn fields, winter wheat, irrigated pastures, alfalfa fields, and fallow fields. Mid-day loafing typically occurs in wetlands and flooded fields along agricultural field borders, levees, rice checks, and ditches, and in alfalfa fields or pastures. Night roosting is in shallowly flooded open fields and open wetlands interspersed with uplands. Sandhill Cranes are omnivores and primarily forage in row crops (primarily grains, such as corn) for grain, seeds, and will opportunistically consume small rodents, birds, and invertebrates, and tend to congregate in small to large flocks. Greater and Lesser Sandhill Cranes use similar roost sites and are both sensitive to human disturbance. Lesser Sandhill Cranes are less traditional than Greater Sandhill Cranes and are more likely to move between different roost site complexes and different wintering regions. Lesser Sandhill Cranes are winter residents and migrants in the study area, arriving during early September and reaching maximum densities during December and January and departing during early March (Ivey et al. 2016, Littlefield 2008). Lesser Sandhill Crane has been observed regularly in the winter in the vicinity of the Study Area, and there are known roost sites within the Study Area. Therefore, Lesser Sandhill Crane has a high potential to occur within the Study Area. Implementation of Mitigation Measures MM BIO-1 and MM BIO-9 would reduce potential impacts to Lesser Sandhill Crane to: Less than Significant with Mitigation Incorporated. MM BIO-9: Sandhill Crane To minimize and avoid the potential indirect impacts to Lesser and Greater Sandhill Crane that may occur within the Study Area, the following general measures will be implemented: a. For soil investigation field activities that will occur September 15 through March 15, during roosting season, pre-activity surveys and an assessment of known roost sites will be conducted within 0.75 mile of Impact Areas by a qualified biologist. b. If roost sites are identified within 0.25 mile of Impact Areas by the qualified biologist, start of large equipment use for soil investigation activities will be delayed to an hour after sunrise and stop an hour before sunrise to minimize potential for noise disturbance at the roost site. Greater Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis tabida) Greater sandhill crane is listed as threatened under CESA and Fully Protected under California Fish and Game Code and. Greater sandhill crane is the largest