Personality and Training:

Chick #W18-15 hatched in the wild in Juneau County, Wisconsin to parents #9-03 and #3-04. The family will migrate together, with the parents teaching #W18 the migration route.

W18-15 was still with its parents as they alternated between their summer territory at Necedah NWR and their first staging area farther south in Juneau Co. ICF staff have been working to capture and band this chick, but this family group was too elusive for the chick banding to take place.

Fall 2015: Young W18-15 and her parents were spotted November 10 in a private wetland area in Wayne County, southern Illinois. A knowledgeable observer noted that if this year is like last year, the family may remain in the area as long as weather is milder and commute between there and Wheeler NWR in Alabama when winter weather becomes severe. Ths photo shows the family on their southern Illinois wintering grounds.

The family has also been seen at Wheeler NWR Alabama as the very mild winter in Illinois deteriorated to cold and snowy.

Spring 2016: On March 7 two knowledgeable observers sent news that W18-15 and parents were back in Richland Co, Illinois, saying "The journey north is definitely underway!" W18-15 was still with the parents (#9-03 and #3-04) in Wayne Co, IL as of March 21 but W18-15 successfully returned to Monroe County, WI, separated from the parents, and was hanging out with adult male #16-04 in Monroe County.

Fall 2016: W18-15 was associating with adult male #16-04 on Necedah NWR but in mid-September an unbanded crane presumed to be W18-15 was seen with its parents (39-03 and 33-04) in Juneau County. W18-15 went back to Necedah NWR the end of October and was again seen with male 16-04. W18-15 and male 16-04 were still in Juneau County, WI as of Nov. 25 but migrated in December to Knox County, Indiana with male 16-04.