Whooping Crane Nesting Summary 2012

Whooping Crane

Eastern Flock Whooping Crane Nesting Summary
Spring 2012
(Source: WCEP)

Summary: Nine chicks hatched in the new Eastern flock in the 2012 breeding season. Two survived to fledge and migrate.

PAIR ESTIMATED DATE INCUBATION BEGAN FINAL STATUS Updated: 7/25/12

38-08 (DAR) and 703 Nest 1: 3/16: first confirmed nest of the season! (failed Apr. 3/4)
Nest 2: April 23 Failed. Incubatiing nest #2 as of May 29 but the eggs never hatched.

#5-10 and #828 May 1 (Female is only two years old!) Failed. Trackers collected their single infertile egg on June 4 after the pair incubated it past full term and it didn't hatch.

#925 and #918 May 2 Laid one egg but never incubated it: failed May 2.

#915 and #911 April 27 One egg seen Apr. 29. Nest failed May 6.

#905 and #733 Nest 1: April 2-7 only.
Nest 2: April 25

Failed Nests. Incubated Nest 2 past full term. No chicks. One egg possibly lost in May 24 wind storms.

#717 and #910
April 23

Failed: nest nearly flooded out on May 8 and nest no longer visible by May 12.

#519 and #408 Apr. 28 (Nest #1 failed Apr. 29)
May 14 (Nest #2 due to hatch June 8-12) Still incubating Nest 2 on May 29 but the nest failed.

#716 and #216 April 5 (failed Apr. 16)
Nest 2: May 5-7 (due to hatch June 3-5)
Chick #W9-12, hatched June 5, was observed by tracker Eva on June 6. The chick did not survive past June 15.

46-07 (DAR) and 402 April 19 Off nest May 21 and appeared to be tending chick (#W7-12). Chick no longer alive by early July.

#312 and #311 April 25 Failed May 7

419 and #212
April 2 Complete! Hatched chick on April 30! Seen tending chick (W1-12) on May 21 aerial survey. PHOTO Chick survived to fledge in August.

#218 and #213
April 11: due to hatch May 10 Complete! Seen May 16 with chick (#W5-12); seen tending chick on May 21. Chick was found dead on July 24, 2012.

#309 and 403
April 7: due to hatch May 6 Failed. Incubated 35 days before leaving nest: 1 egg reported fertile apparently never hatched.

W1-06 and #310

April 14 Off nest 4/26; Nest empty/failed.

#313 and #509

April 6 (failed)
Nest 2: April 18 (due to hatch May 17)

May 21: chick W8-12 confirmed. Survived to fledge in August.

#505 and 415 April 17 Failed April 21.

39-07 (DAR) and 707
April 17: due to hatch May 16 Failed. The pair incubated the eggs past full term but the eggs were infertile and never hatched. They left the nest by early June.

42-09 (DAR) and 924
April 4 Complete! Hatched chick W2-12 on May 7) and W3-12 on May 8. PHOTO Both chicks were lost by May 16.

#904 and #416

April 15 Off nest May 21; appeared to be tending chick #W6-12). Chick died sometime before June 15.

#722 and #512

April 4 (failed Apr. 26)Nest 2: May 21
Still incubating nest #2 on May 29 (due to hatch June 17-19) but the nest had failed by June 15.

36-09 (DAR) and 318 April 21 Failed April 25.

#824 and #814 April 8 Failed. Off nest with chick (W4-12) by May 10. The chick was no longer alive as of June 15.

Photo: Matt Strausser, ICF

Journal Question

It takes 30 days to incubate the eggs. Pick at least one pair to calculate a hatch date and see what happens! (If a nest has the usual two eggs, the second egg usually hatches a day or two after the first.)