Wild Whooping Crane Chicks Hatch at Necedah

[depakid]

Aerial view of adult whooping crane on its nest with two chicks.
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The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP) is celebrating another success in its efforts to reintroduce a wild migratory whooping crane population in eastern North America. Two whooping crane chicks hatched Monday at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Wisconsin. This is only the third time in over a century that naturally produced whooping cranes have hatched in the wild in the Midwest.

The chicks, #W1-10 and #W2-10 (W = wild hatched), are the offspring of whooping crane pair #9-03 and #3-04 from the ultralight-led crane Classes of 2003 and 2004.

“We are cautiously optimistic that it will be a good year,” said Necedah NWR manager Doug Staller. “Out of the seven pairs of whooping cranes that nested this season, we are excited to see two Direct Autumn Release birds nesting this year.”

The chicks are the result of renesting. Earlier this spring, nine breeding pairs of whooping cranes built nests and laid eggs, but all nine pairs abandoned those first nests. Later this spring, four pairs renested, including #9-03 and #3-04, and three additional pairs initiated nests. Five pairs currently remain on their nests.

The nest abandonments earlier this spring are similar to what has been observed in previous years. WCEP is investigating the cause of the abandonments through analysis of data collected throughout the nesting period on crane behavior and black fly abundance and distribution.

Whooping cranes are long-lived birds that may start nesting attempts at three to five years of age, and can continue hatching eggs and rearing chicks past the age of 30. In captivity, the oldest breeding whooping crane is currently 41 years old. The oldest whooping crane known to be producing young in the wild is 32 years old.

In 2001, WCEP project partner Operation Migration’s pilots



led the first whooping crane chicks, conditioned to follow their ultralight aircraft surrogates, south from Necedah NWR to Chassahowitzka NWR in Florida. Each subsequent year, WCEP biologists and pilots have conditioned and guided additional groups of juvenile cranes to Florida. Having been shown the way once, the young birds initiate their return migration in the spring, and in subsequent years, continue to migrate on their own. In 2008, St. Marks NWR along Florida’s Gulf Coast was added as an additional wintering site for the juvenile cranes.

In addition to the ultralight-led birds, biologists from the International Crane Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rear whooping crane chicks at Necedah NWR and release them in the company of older cranes from whom the young birds learn the migration route. This is the sixth year WCEP has used this Direct Autumn Release method.

More: http://www.bringbackthecranes.org/media/2010/nr3June2010.html

[Frustratedlady]

1. I loved the story and movie/video of the whooping crane migration.

I hope they can be successful in their nesting/breeding. They are fascinating creatures. Thanks for the article.

[Scuba]

2. Way cool....

...I was over there in fall of '09 and it's an amazing place. I encourage any DU'ers in the area to visit.

[Kolesar]

3. Yes, I was there a few years ago

Found it in the AAA Tour Guide, of all places!