Whooping Crane Nesting Summary 2016

Whooping Crane

Eastern Flock Whooping Crane Nesting Summary
Spring 2017
Source: WCEP

Updated October, 2017

Summary: This nesting season, 18 chicks hatched from four first nests and ten re-nests. Just three wild-hatched chicks were still alive as of July 18th. A total of 27 eggs (26 fertile) were removed from some of the season's first nests in the Forced Re-nesting Study. In all, there were 37 confirmed nests by 26 pairs.

PAIR (F/M)
HATCH
CHICK NUMBER (May change)

3-14 and 4-12 at White River Marsh! active nest nest predated one day before due to hatch

13-03 and 9-05 eggs collected from 1st nest: re-nested W12-17 born June 5, but predated before the end of June.

59-13DAR (Latka) & 1-11 1st nest failed

17-11DAR and 19-11DAR eggs collected from 1st nest

7-11 and 3-11 1 chick, May 8 W5-17 died June 5.

9-03 and 3-04 eggs collected from 1st nest: re-nested W14-17, still alive July 6 (~30 days of age) but gone by July 17.

12-11 and 5-11 2 chicks, end of April. W1-17 and W2-17. Both died by early June.

42-09DAR and 24-09 1 chick, ~ May 4 W3-17 surived the summer and fledged

32-09DAR and 7-07 eggs collected from 1st nest

24-08 and 14-08 1st nest failed; 2nd nest 2 chicks ~ May 30 W7-17 surived the summer and fledged

5-10 and 28-08 1 chick, May 10 W4-17; survived only a few weeks.

18-02 and 13-02 eggs collected from 1st nest

12-03 and 29-09 eggs collected from 1st nest; re-nested W13-17 did not surive the summer

W3-10 and 8-04 eggs collected from 1st nest: 2nd nest hatched 2 chicks May 30
W9-17 and W10-17, both gone by mid June.

36-09DAR and 18-03 second nest, 1 chick May 23 W6-17 predated June 12

25-09 and 2-04 eggs collected from 1st nest: re-nested and hatched 2 chicks June 15 W-16-17 died at 10 days of age; W-17 died at 11 days of age.

W1-06 and 1-10 eggs collected from 1st nest; 1 chick from 2nd nest about June 2 W11-17 still alive July 6 but gone by July 18.

26-09 and 27-06DAR eggs collected from 1st nest; no re-nest

20-14PR and 37-07DAR (Female 20-14 PR's predated remains found July 3.)
1 chick, June 7 W15-17 First chick hatched to a PR crane! Chick still alive July 6 but gone by mid July.

19-14PR and 12-05 1st nest failed; no re-nest

34-09DAR and 4-08 eggs collected from 1st nest; 2nd nest failed

16-07 and 1-04 April nest failed.

10-10 and 41-09DAR eggs collected from 1st nest. No re-nest.

17-07 and 10-09 eggs collected from 1st nest; re-nested and hatched 1 chick June 15 W18-17 was last seen alive on June 22.

Pairs in the forced renesting group had their first eggs removed by WCEP team for captive incubation so the pair would produce more eggs and nest again.

Reproduction Milestones, Eastern Flock:

2005 First Nest
2006 First Young Hatched (to pair #11-02 and #17-02 )
2006 First Young Fledged

2015 First documented hybrid chick in the Eastern Migratory Population. Named "Whoopsie," the chick was hatched to male Whooping Crane 16-11DAR and a female Sandhill Crane. The chick was later captured and will live its life off exhibit in ICF’s Crane City. The husbandry staff at ICF will provide excellent care for the young crane as it continues to mature, and they hope to pair it with an existing bird in their collection for companionship, but they will do what they can to ensure that male whooper #16-11DAR mates with only female Whooping cranes from now on. His genes and parenthood are valuable to the new EMP.

2017 First second-generation young hatched (Two pairs, each with a first-generation wild parent, hatched second-gen young.)

Wild Pairs That Fledged Chicks to Date:

2006: 1 chick by pair 11-02/17-02, Necedah NWR
2010: 1 chick by pair 3-04/9-03, Necedah NWR; 1 chick by pair 12-02/19-04, Wood County, WI
2012: 1 chick by pair 12-02/19-04, Wood County, WI; 1 chick by pair 13-03/9-05, Necedah NWR
2013: 1 chick by pair 9/03/3-04, Necedah NWR
2014: 1 chick by pair 12-02/19-04, Wood County, WI
2015: 1 chick each by pairs 10-09/17-07, 25-09/2-04, and 9-03/3-04
2016: 1 chick by pair 12-03/29-09
2017: 1 chick by pair 24-09/42-09 and 1 chick by pair 14-08/24-08