Whooping Crane Migration: Fall 2013

Whooping Crane

Migration Finished Jan. 5! (Total: 1101 Miles)
January 5, 2014
Weekly Updates

Home sweet home! After a 96-day journey hampered by undependable weather, the Class of 2013 landed Sunday, Jan. 5, at their new winter home: St. Marks NWR in Florida. All eight Whooping cranes will spend their first days in the temporarily top-netted section of the large winter release pen. Then they will be banded and released to live as wild, free cranes, although they'll be watched over during their first winter to be sure they are okay.

Long weather delays made this migration one day short of the longest migration ever, and it was by far the coldest the team ever experienced. But the cranes are finally HOME until the urge hits to migrate north in spring. Follow next events at Operation Migration and watch live action on the crane cam. Keep up on the lives of the cranes on our bio pages as we sign off with three cheers for the team and the birds — well done!

Richard's aircraft and the eight young cranes drop down to land at St. Marks Nwr on January 5, 2014.
Image: Tom Darragh

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Fall 2013 Migration
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Journey North is presented by Annenberg Learner.
Partial funding for this news update has been made possible through Operation Migration by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Southern Company through the Power of Flight Program.