Whooping Crane Nesting Summary 2015

Whooping Crane

Eastern Flock Whooping Crane Nesting Summary
Spring 2015
(Source: WCEP)

Updated October, 2015

Summary: A record 24 chicks hatched from 37 nests in 2015 but predation of chicks was high. Three chicks fledged and two survived to migrate.

PAIR (F/M)
HATCH DATE
CHICK NUMBER

#17-07 and #10-09
May 11
W3-15 fledged, banded and still alive as of September 10, but found dead in October.

#25-09 and #2-04
May 18
W10-15 fledged and survived to migrate (sibling W11 died when a few days old)

#9-03 and #3-04
~June 2
W18-15 fledged and survived to migrate

#29-09 and #12-03
~June 2
W14-15 still alive as of June 23, but not July 15

#16-07 and #16-02
June 2
W22 still alive as of June 23, but not July 15

#8-05 and #1-04
~June 2
W17 still alive as of June 23, but not July 15

#39-07 and #7-07
~June 2
W21 still alive as of June 23, but not July 15

#24-08 and #14-08 W12-15, now deceased

#32-09 DAR and #5-05
June 2
W15-15, now deceased

#26-09 and #27-06 DAR
June 8
W22-15, now deceased

#5-10 and #28-08
May 16
W6-15 and W7-15, now deceased

#7-11 and #3-11
May
1 (?) chick, now deceased

#17-11DAR and #19-11DAR

May
1 (?) chick, deceased in June

#3-13 and #9-05
May 3
W1-15, now deceased

#11-09 and #15-09 W2-15, now deceased

#18-03 and #36-09DAR
May
W5-15, now deceased

W3-10 and #29-08
May
*W8-15 and *W9-15, now deceased

W1-06 and #1-10 Nest failed Apr. 30

#26-07 and #11-02 First nest failed Apr. 15; second nest failed May 7 when female died on the nest.

#34-09DAR and #4-08 Nest failed Apr. 15

#7-09 and #26-10DAR Nest failed

#10-10 and #41-09DAR Nest failed

#4-11 and #12-02 Nest failed

#12-11 and #5-11 Nest failed

#42-09DAR and #24-09 Nest failed

#19-05 and #8-04 Nest failed

#18-02 and #13-02 Nest failed

Yellow = Pair was in the forced renesting group (first eggs removed by WCEP team for captive incubation so the pair would produce more eggs and nest again). All eight pairs nested again, and so did two other pairs.

Reproduction Milestones, Eastern Flock:

2005 First Nest
2006 First Young Hatched (to pair #11-02 and #17-02 )
2006 First Young Fledged

2015 First documented hybrid chick in the Eastern Migratory Population. Named "Whoopsie," the chick was hatched to male Whooping Crane 16-11DAR and a female Sandhill Crane. The chick was later captured and will live its life off exhibit in ICF’s Crane City.

Pairs That Fledged Chicks to Date:

2006: 1 chick by pair 11-02/17-02, Necedah NWR 2006
2010: 1 chick by pair 3-04/9-03, Necedah NWR; 1 chick by pair 12-02/19-04, Wood County, WI
2012: 1 chick by pair 12-02/19-04, Wood County, WI; 1 chick by pair 13-03/9-05, Necedah NWR
2013: 1 chick by pair 3-04/9-03, Necedah NWR
2014: 1 chick by pair 12-02/19-04, Wood County, WI
2015: 1 chick each by pairs #10-09 and #17-07,#25-09 and #2-04, #3-04 and #9-03