Photo: International Crane Foundation	Meet the Class of 2011 Whooping Crane Chicks! Hatch-year 2011 of the Eastern Flock
	Crane # 13-11(DAR) "Pandoro"
	Date Hatched	June 5, 2011
	Gender	Male
	Egg Source
	Permanent Leg Bands (Attached before fall migration)	Left Leg Right Leg   (VHF)
	Read more about the raising and naming of the DAR chicks. *Scroll to bottom for most recent history.*

Personality as a Chick
Pandoro started as an independent and aggressive little bird. Things looked up as he learned to socialize with older chicks. "Pan loves to wander but has learned to trust the costume and is a beautiful chick to work with," reports intern Jackie. More coming soon!

On September 20, he was transported with his entire cohort of Direct Autum Release chicks to Horicon Refuge. He will spend the next few weeks in an enclosure and under supervision at this release site. On Ocober 14 he was banded with his permanent leg band colors. On October 21 he was set free to hang out with sandhill cranes on the refuge. The team hopes he'll follow them south on migration, and learn where to go. Tracking Crew Chief Eva said that when the DAR birds were released, seven of them (including #13) hung out in one group by themselves; on Oct. 24 they flew a really big loop over the northern end of the refuge. On October 27th this group moved to a small area of marshland in Dane County. They spend the day foraging in some cut corn fields before returning to the marsh habitat to roost in the evening with a few dozen Sandhill cranes.

Images: Eva Szyszkoski, ICF

Migration History

Fall 2011, First Migration: He departed southern Wisconsin and was last detected in flight with #16-11 in northern Illinois on November 29. His wintering location was still unknown as he has not been seen since the November sighting.

Spring 2013: Still missing (see above). On May 1 he was considered dead, and removed from the popultion total of the eastern flock.

Back to "Meet the Flock 2011"