Eastern Flock Chicks: Hatch Year 2009
Back to Meet the Cranes

Learn to migrate
by following ultralight airplanes

Group 1 chicks are captive-born.

Crane #901
(#1-09)
(died Nov 2010)

Crane #903
(#3-09)
(died Mar. 2010)

Crane #904
(#4-09)
(died May 2014)

Crane #905 (#5-09)
(died 12/2013)

Crane #906 (#6-09)
(died 6/2015)

Crane #907
(#7-09)
(died 3/2016)

Crane #908
(#8-09)
(died 4/2014)

Crane #910
(#10-09)

Crane #911 (#11-09)

Crane #912 (#12-09)

Crane #913 (#13-09)
(presumed dead, Feb. 2012)

Crane #914 (#14-09)
(died 4/2015)

Crane #915
(#15-09)
(died 9/2016)

Crane #918 (#18-09)

Crane #919 (#19-09)

Crane #924 (#24-09)

Crane #925 (#25-09)

Crane #926
(#26-09)

Crane #927 (#27-09)
(died 2010)

Crane #929 (#29-09)

Learn to migrate by following older cranes in the flock

Group 2 chicks are also captive-born. In fall the chicks are released in the company of older cranes from whom the young birds learn the migration route in a program called
Direct Autumn Release (DAR).

Report courtesy Sara Zimorski, ICF:

On July 21, 2009, 11 Whooping Crane chicks were transferred from ICF to the nearb Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) to make up the 2009 Direct Autumn Release (DAR) cohort. The DAR birds are initially isolation-reared at ICF and then at the Necedah NWR until the fall release. In September or October they are released on or near the refuge with older Whooping Cranes and Sandhill Cranes. They will join up with them and learn the migration route.

DAR 32-09 (F)

DAR 35-09 (F) (died 2014)

DAR 36-09 (F)

DAR 37-09 (F) (died 2012)

DAR 38-09 (M)

DAR 40-09 (F)
(died 2010)

DAR 41-09 (M)

DAR 42-09 (F)

DAR 33-09 was killed by a predator before migration.
DAR 39-09 was moved to a zoo before migration.

Learn to migrate by following their parents

Group 3 chicks are wild-born. Their parents raise them and teach them to migrate. This is the natural way cranes learn to migrate. One day, the flock will be large enough for wild-born parents to take over. Then human-assisted migration will no longer be needed. Scientists hope to reach their goal of 25 breeding pairs from 125 birds in Wisconsin by 2020.

For 2009: Zero Chicks survived

(Both wild-born chicks had disappeared by July 15.

Summer 2009 Nesting Results