Photo Jennifer Davis, ICF	Meet the Class of 2010 Whooping Crane Chicks! Hatch-year 2010 of the Eastern Flock
	Crane # 22-10 DAR
	Date Hatched	June 9, 2010
	Gender	Female
	Egg Source
	Permanent Leg Bands (Attached before first migration)	Left Leg Right Leg     radio transmitter
	Read more about the raising and naming of the DAR chicks. *Scroll to bottom for most recent history.*

Personality as a Chick
"Havarti" was this chick's baby name after hatching at ICF. She was one of the smallest in size and did not fly until later than the others.

On September 27 Jen reported: "Everyone has fledged. We're still not really sure about #22-10, but we know she can at least fly a little bit. We find that she flies out of the day pen on a regular basis. We hope that we'll see her flying circles around site three within the next couple weeks, or we might have to take her back under our wing and find a different place for her."

On October 2 Jen reported: Smallest of the 2010 DAR flock, she has been the most timid flier so far. She recently proved to us that she can fly — and fly very well with the others. She has always been very independent and very focused on hunting larger food than the other chicks. She was the first to catch a snake!

The 11 DAR (Direct Autumn Release) Whooping Crane chicks were released October 25 on the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The young cranes learn the migration route from following older cranes. Biologists from ICF and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service are tracking the released DAR cranes using radio telemetry, picking up radio signals emitted from leg transmitters on the birds.

By Nov. 6 the large group of nine DAR birds had been settling into a routine and feeding in cornfields just south of the refuge during the day, reported Eva. They are usually with older birds #506, #906 and 38-09 (DAR) and return to the refuge in the evening.

As they begin the migration south trackers will be monitoring the birds’ movements. Watch for news below!

Migration History

Fall 2010, First Migration: Many of the eastern flock began migration from Wisconsin on November 20, and so did Crane #22-10 DAR (along with 25-10 DAR and 27-10 DAR). These three young DAR birds left without adult supervision! How would they know where o go? Luckily, veteran migrators #313 (13-03) and #318 (18-03) caught up with the youngsters along the Mississippi River, and the group rejoined the migration corridor. On Nov. 24 they were in Greene County, Indiana, in the same area as one of the family groups from the flock. She continued migrating south with other cranes leading the way, and was last reported January 23 in Cherokee County, Alabama with several other migrating Whooping cranes from the flock. One of the group, #412, was shot dead shortly thereafter. Crane #22-10 (DAR) was not with the group when they were next found Feb. 4 in Madison County, Alabama.

Sad news came Feb. 18 when it was announced that Federal investigators had discovered her remains on the Alabama-Georgia border —about 1/4 mile from where #412 was shot a few weeks earlier. Officials believe the two deaths are linked, and are working hard to find the perpetrator. The reward for shooting these endangered whooping cranes now stands at $23,250. The money was given by 18 non-governmental organizations, federal agencies, and private individuals for additional information on the deaths of the two whooping cranes leading to successful prosecution of the perpetrator(s).

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