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Whooping Crane Migration Update: February 26, 2002

Today's Report Includes:

Welcome to a Historic Whooping Crane Migration Season

Photo Operation Migration

Map WCEP

You are joining us for an historic event! This spring will mark the first-ever northward migration for the world's second flock of migratory whoopers: the young Eastern flock of five cranes, now wintering in Florida after ultralight airplanes "taught" them the 1227-mile migration route last fall. Thanks to satellite tracking, we'll follow and map their progress as they return to their summer home in Wisconsin without human assistance.

Until this year, we began our season while the world's only wild flock of endangered whooping cranes were on their wintering grounds at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. We'll give you their news, too, when the big Western flock's migration begins in March.

As you join us for this much anticipated season, see more about this study on the Web:

Field Notes From the New Flock's Wintering Grounds
When will the young cranes leave?
"It's a guessing game," says crane caretaker Anne Lacy. "That's the question everyone, including me, wants to know: When will they leave? WILL they leave?" Anne is an expert from the International Crane Foundation and she's experienced in satellite tracking. It's now her turn to join the two-person watch over the cranes at Chassahowitzka until the young birds leave. Anne says, They are being very good birds, staying around their pen area, foraging in the tidal pond in their pen, and catching crabs. They seem to be able to roost in the pond in their pen most of the time."

Anne tells more: "There's a time lapse camera keeping an eye on them. We're not here all the time. They can come and go as much as they want but they seem to know their pen is safe and secure. Of course I have to wear the crane costume, which I find fascinating. The cranes know when someone new is there. They are very suspicious until I try to exert some authority over them. Being in the enclosure with them is wonderful and quite overwhelming At first I was unsure what to do, but I learned I had to be pretty much "bigger than them" and not take any guff. Then they let me be. We just reached an understanding."

Check out our photo journal for the cranes' first winter. Find out why it's so important for these birds to roost in the pond in their pen, what bobcats have done, and why caretakers like Anne must wear a costume:

Tracking Teasers: Challenge Questions #1 and #2

Meet the Flock!
Photo OM

Anne says, "There's definite pecking order. They all pretty much get along and no one is shunned, but each has its own personality. Some are curious, others want to show off or be dominant, and some can't get a word in edgewise." Two of these cranes have been fitted with satellite tracking devices. While we're all waiting for lift-off, meet the flock you'll track this spring.

After you read about their personalities, come back and tell us your answer to:

Challenge Question #1:
"Which two cranes would you pick to wear satellite transmitters? Why?"

Challenge Question #2:
"What date do YOU predict the Eastern flock's migration will start?"

(To respond to these questions, please follow the instructions below.)

Growing Up and Crabbing
How have the young cranes in the Eastern flock changed in appearance in 9 months? Make a list!

craneWCEP013 craneWCEP071

May 2001

July 2001

October 2001

Photos Courtesy Operation Migration and WCEP

November 2001

February 2002

 

What keeps these good-looking birds busy? They've learned how to eat crabs, for one thing. How would you like to eat the same thing every day for 5 or 6 months every year of your life? That's what whooping cranes do on their wintering grounds, whether at Aransas NWR in Texas or Chassahowitzka NWR in Florida. Whoopers will eat almost anything, but their clear favorite is blue crabs. The parents have to teach the baby cranes how to eat crabs, and it isn't easy. How would YOU teach them? And what's so great about blue crabs anyway? Find out here, and try a fun activity:

Tips for Teachers: Are YOU Ready for the Migration?
Whooping crane migration typically begins in March for the Aransas flock, but no one knows when the new Eastern flock will leave Florida and head north to Wisconsin. Until migration begins, we'll focus on the cranes' over-wintering behavior and getting acquainted with the new flock. This is the first time satellite data has been available for whooping cranes, and you may want to use this time to develop the mapping skills your students will need to track the migration. Here are some tips and background lessons to help you get ready for satellite tracking:

This lesson will help you get comfortable with satellite data so you'll have a feeling for the distances involved when a crane's latitude and longitude readings change.

This lesson includes charts with step-by-step instructions for pinpointing a crane's latitude and longitude on a map. Placing a transparency on top of your map will make it easier to draw lines and find the bird's exact location.

Heather Ray of Operation Migration

ABOUT THE SATELLITE DATA YOU WILL RECEIVE: Operation Migration's Heather Ray explains: "We cannot publish the exact coordinates simply because we can't risk having anyone go and possibly disturb the cranes, either this year or next. As you know, cranes will select "staging" areas, which they use for resting/refueling along the way. These areas are used year after year by the ever growing (I hope) flock. For this reason, we prefer to keep these locations a secret until the flock reaches a self-sustaining level and we are assured that they will flush IF a human should approach them." We'll be hearing a lot from Heather and the pilots of Operation Migraton, who led to cranes south, in coming reports.

Bringing Back the Cranes: Link to Mapping Activity
For the first time, it's possible for students to map satellite data for migrating cranes, but the data applies only to the new Eastern flock where two cranes are fitted with satellite tracking devices. While we would have preferred a map that also shows the Western nesting grounds in Canada, using a full map of North America would make classroom satellite tracking very difficult because the route in the eastern U.S. would be so small. As a way of keeping the full perspective, we suggest that students make and add a map extension to the US map used for satellite tracking to make it include Canada. Then they can see routes of both populations, even though tracking only one.

The following lesson offers a pre-mapping exercise where students get acquainted with the historic range of whooping cranes and compare the current ranges of both the existing Western and the new Eastern flock.

After you explore the lesson, send us your answer to this Challenge Question:

Challenge Question #3:
"Is important that the new Eastern Flock is designated a Nonessential Experimental Population? Explain."

(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)

Tom Stehn Reports From Aransas: Same or Fewer Birds?

crane_Stehn02

Tom Stehn and Survey Plane

"Only during winter at Aransas is it possible to get a total count of the whooping crane population. This is done by flying transects in a small airplane over a 35-mile section of salt marsh along the Teas coast until all the birds are located. Of the 52 adult pairs that nested in Wood Buffalo National Park in the Northwest Territories of Canada, only 15 brought a youngster with them to Aransas. Nesting success was definitely below average. This winter, 176 whooping cranes returned to Aransas. This is four birds less than the peak size of the population last winter: 180. Depending on how you want to calculate it, the whooping crane population this winter has either decreased or stayed the same. This is an example of the way in which numbers and facts can be presented to provide different conclusions." What does Tom mean by that? Tom explains in his full report, and also asks you a question. "We believe most mortality of whooping crane adults occurs during migration. It is definitely the period when cranes are most vulnerable. Can you explain why that is?"

Challenge Question #4:
"Why are cranes most vulnerable to death during migration?"

(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)

Backtracking: The Historic Journey SOUTH
If you weren't with us for last Fall's Journey South, students with extra time and interest can investigate the first human-assisted migration of an endangered species. See the remarkable events of the young Eastern flock following ultralight airplanes as they learned the migration route between Wisconsin and Florida. Many of these pages include audio clips, video clips, photos, and journaling questions.

How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions:

IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message.

1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-crane@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #1 (OR #2 OR #3 OR #4)
3. In the body of EACH message, give your answer to ONE of the questions above.

The Next Crane Migration Update Will Be Posted on March 12, 2002.

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