Journey North Whooping Cranes

Meet the New 2002 Whooping Crane Chicks!
Hatch-year 2002 of the Eastern Flock

Crane # 209

Date Hatched

May 9 , 2002

Gender

Female

Pre-migratory Weight: 5.0

Permanent Leg Bands

G/W
(left)

R/W
(right)

Read about the naming system, hatch place in Maryland, release site in Wisconsin, over-wintering site in Florida, and leg-band codes.

Personality and History

Personality Characteristics: One of the two youngest. Small. She wants to be close to the costume ("Mommy"). She is also very bonded to the trike and is a good flyer. She likes to fly near and tight to the trike, rather than out behind the wing where she can benefit from the air current off the wing tip. She has to flap-fly when she's up close to the trike, which could make her tired. The caretakers say she's a crybaby and always wants to be near them.

History:

Fall 2002: Successfully completed migration with the ultralights and Class of 2002. During the first winter in Florida, she was probably the most submissive bird in the flock, but yearling Crane #105 seemed to like her and protect her, even as he bullied some of the other chicks.

Spring 2003: Left Florida on first journey north April 1, 2003 with all the rest of the cranes, but hesitated and turned back alone. Made the migration by herself, wandering off track. After a hide-and-seek game from ground and air in 3 states, she was captured, crated, and flown from Ohio to Necedah in a plane on May 4. After leaving the group for 4 days and then returning, she spent the summer of 2003 about 10-12 miles from the Necedah Refuge with #204 and #218. Because she missed 391 miles (6 flight segments with the ultralight) and was flown back to Necedah, the pilots and handlers were concerned. How will she find the Florida wintering grounds on the 2003 journey south if she chooses again to travel alone?


#209 is captured and returned to Wisconsin in May 2003 >>

Fall 2003: Luckily, she joined with other cranes and began migration on Nov. 13 with six flock mates and #102. This group of eight arrived at the Florida pen site at Chassahowitzka on November 21, 2003. During their entire journey south, the group stayed together and was never evcen seen migrating with sandhill cranes. This group moved to Pasco County shortly after arriving in Florida.

Spring 2004: On March 18, 2004, #209 departed from the Pasco County winter location with Cranes #211 and #212. They spent that night in southern Georgia. Since she made the fall 2003 journey south without getting lost, everyone was hopeful that she'd be able to simply reverse course and arrive back in central WI and NOT Ohio. Sure enough, that's what she did! The three whoopers roosted in McHenry County, IL on March 25 and 26. They were next seen at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge--HOME! They likely returned on March 27, 2004. Crane #209 separated from the other two males by March 29 but stayed in the local area.

Fall 2004: Began migration Nov 21 along with #213 and 218. They remained in Franklin County, Tennessee for the entire winter.

Spring 2005: Began migration with #213 and #218 from their wintering area in Franklin County, Tennessee on March 21. Confirmed back in Wisconsin at Necedah NWR by March 29. On April 4, #209 had parted from #213 and #218. She stayed around the area of Mill Bluff, WI and she associated with other Whooping Cranes there.

Fall 2005: Began migration with #302 on Nov. 17. Eventually joined #101, #202, and #208 to roost that night in Will County, IL. On Nov. 18 they moved to Lake County, Indiana. On Nov. 24, cranes #209 and #302 foraged in local wetlands and stayed around for the rest of the week.

Spring 2006: Arrived in Wisconsin March 18. Cranes #209 and 302 are a possible new breeding pair! They were observed building a nest on March 27, but they discontinued use of that site. They chased #417 from a cornfield near their territory on April 7. On April 13, they began incubating eggs in a new nest on their territory in Monroe County, Wisconsin. They did better than of any of the 5 nesting pairs, guarding their eggs and staying on the nest. But their clutch was lost after 15 days, before the eggs could hatch. She later lost her mate (302) when he was predated. The two were siblings.

Fall 2006: Left Wisconsin on Nov. 19 (with #416) and made it to NE Illinois or NW Indiana. Next reported in Newton County, Indiana but had left (with #416) by Dec. 3. Reported still with large numbers of sandhill cranes in Jackson County, Indiana. They did not leave until the first week in February when the coldest arctic air mass of the season chilled the Midwest.

Spring 2007: Crane #209 (and 416), who wintered in Indiana, were observed back in Wisconsin and building a nest by March 26! They didn't finish, but later built another in which they laid eggs. This is #209 sitting on the active nest on April 15, 2007:

Photo Richard Urbanek, USFWS

The nest was not successful and the pair was not detected after May 27.

Fall 2007: #209 and mate (#416) migrated fom Wisconsin on November 22 but their transmitters don't work and the pair cannot be tracked. They remained in Jackson County, Indiana through the end of December.

Spring 2008: Female #209 and male #416 began migration from Carroll County, Georgia, on February 2. Two birds believed to be this pair were reported on their territory at Monroe County Flowage on March 30, and identification was confirmed on April 7. They nested, but a broken egg was discovered via an aerial survey of nests on April 14. Also, #209 was found to be limping severely with her right leg when the pair's territory in Monroe County was checked April 23 and again in early May.


The first nesting attempt failed when a broken egg was found April 14. Will they nest again? Photos Sara Zimorski

Only one Whooping crane was spotted on an aerial survey July 1 and an ultralight flight August 30 confirmed only one bird on the territory. Leg bands identified it as 209's mate, male #416. Dr. Richard Urbanek said, “Based on this information, female #209 is presumed dead, and mortality probably occurred during May."