Photo: Operation Migration Meet the New 2007 Whooping Crane Chicks! Hatch-year 2007 of the Eastern Flock Crane # 714 Date Hatched May 10 , 2007 Gender Female Photo June 20, 2007 Egg Source: USGS Patuxent WRC Permanent Leg Bands Weight 09/05/07: 6.0 kilograms Left Leg Right Leg W/R/W R/G 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 Migration Training: 714 was a feisty chick who tried to dominate much bigger birds. She is a sibling of 710, who was very sweet, but she constantly tried to peck 710. (Her other sibling in the Class of 2007 is #726.) She came to Wisconsin for flight school on June 19 in cohort one (the 8 oldest chicks). She became a quiet and serene girl among the 7 males in her group. In flight school, she lagged behind with 712 and 113, but on July 24 she was right there with the older birds. "We should be flying short circuits with all 8 birds in the next week or so," predicted Chris. By the end of August, most of 714's group of 8—all males except her—flew very well for more than 20 minutes. But 714 usually turned back early and landed at the pen. On Aug. 31, she finally stayed in the air for over 20 minutes with the others — a FIRST for her! The next day she dropped out early again. She was always at the back of the pack, but on September 15 she powered through the line of birds, flew over the top of the wing, pushed the lead bird back, and took over the lead! GO, #714!   History First Migration South: Chick #714 left Wisconsin for his first migration on October 13th, 2007. She flew the whole first leg of the journey and landed safely at Stopover #1! Find day-by-day news about the flock's migration and read more about #714 below. Oct. 23, Day 11: #714 was a straggler out of the pen, but she made the whole 18-mile flight to Stopver 2 after 10 days of no-fly weather. She flew alone with Joe's ultralight, and they were the last to arrive. Nov. 1, Day 20: #714 dropped out and was easily found, crated, and driven in the trackng van to the new Stopover site in Illinois. She was the only bird who didn't fly this whole leg of the trip. Nov. 3, Day 22: She was last out of the pen to take off. Chris was able to coax her skyward, and she then flew the whole 62.8 miles to LaSalle County, IL. with first Chris's and then Richard's plane. Go, #714! Nov. 7, Day 26: Late out of the pen again! Joe swooped in to pick her up and she flew the whole 59.3 miles. Crane #714 had attained her adult voice by February, 2008. Spring 2008, First Journey North: Began migration from Florida March 25 in a group of six flockmates and made it to Worth County Georgia. Four of the six stayed together (#714, #703, #707 and #709) and resumed northward migration the next morning, March 26. The other two birds were only a few miles away. Tracker Richard Urbanek of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, got a visual on the birds. Tracking Crew Chief Anna Fasoli found the remains of #714 in a field in Bledsoe County, Tennessee. She had apparently been killed by a predator, possibly a coyote. Last updated: 3/31/08 Back to "Meet the Flock 2007"   Journey North is pleased to feature this educational adventure made possible by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP).