Online database for observations of color-marked cranes
iCORA is an pan-European online database for observations of color-marked and radio-tagged Common Cranes (Grus grus). It is managed by the German Crane Working Group. Via the Crane Information Centre or at the homepage www.icora.de you can report observations of color-marked or findings of radio-tagged cranes.
The iCORA website and database was started in mid-January 2009 in German and English. Since than the website is constantly updated and adapted on the user requirements.
The whole project started in February 2008 and was altogether three times financially supported by the Norddeutsche Stiftung für Umwelt und Entwicklung (NUE) with revenues from the BINGO! Die Umweltlotterie.
iCORA today
- usage in five different languages: German, English, French, Spanish, Estonian; currently more than 2,800 declared users
- latest data inventory: more than 3,380 ringed cranes, more than 110,000 observations and reports
- participating projects from 7 European countries: Germany, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, France (data from other projects, e. g. Finland, Sweden and Norway are regularly forwarded), regular conversations with further projects about future participation
- observation reports with map function (exact coordinates), co-observers and additional information (habitat use, behavior, troop size, status, relationships), marked cranes with color combinations, alpha-numeric leg rings, metal rings and radio transmitters can be reported
- special backend access for project administrator for the management of the ringing and recovery data (including import and export functions); all reported observations have to be validated (correct, under reservation, not accepted)
- feedback to the observers: permanent access to the life-histories (online or as a pdf download) of the reported cranes, download of the own reports, photo gallery, news, overviews about the used color combinations in Europe, help function