Journey North Whooping Cranes

Meet the New 2002 Whooping Crane Chicks!
Hatch-year 2002 of the Eastern Flock

Crane # 213

Date Hatched

May 16 , 2002

Gender

Male

Pre-migratory Weight: 6.2 kg

Permanent Leg Bands

R/W
(left)

G/R/G
(right)

Read about the naming system, hatch place in Maryland, release site in Wisconsin, over-wintering site in Florida, and leg-band codes.

Personality and History

Personality Characteristics: "He's the boss—a big, tough bird," say Kelly and Dan. Most dominant on the ground but not in the air. He started out as top bird during the first winter in Florida, but #205 replaced him in the dominance structure.

History:

Fall 2002: Successfully finished her first journey south behind ultralight plane.

Spring 2003: Left Florida on first journey north April 1, 2003 with 14 other whoopers. Returned successfully to Wisconsin April 13. Spent the summer about 15 miles from Necedah NWR with flock mates 217, 202, 211, 212 and 216.

Fall 2003: Together with #202, started fall migration from Wisconsin on November 7. Arrived with #202 in Suwanee County, FL on Nov. 21. The two stayed there all winter.

Spring 2003: Male #213, still with #202, began spring migration on March 20. PTT readings indicate they spent that night in Georgia. From March 24-29, PTT readings indicated they were in Jackson County, IN. Confirmed April 2 (with #202) in Tipecanoe County, Indiana. Back "home" at Necedah NWR on April 7.

Fall 2004: Began migration Nov 21. The trio of #213, 218 and 209 had remained in a flooded area in Franklin County, TN through early March 2005.

Spring 2005: Began migration with #209 and #218 on March 21. Confirmed home in Wisconsin at Necedah NWR by March 29. The pair of #213 and #218 began building a nest near the site 2 training area! However, the nest was never completed and no eggs appeared. This pair moved between the refuge and the Mill Bluff area but stayed on their territory at Necedah NWR most of the time.

Fall 2005: Began migration Nov. 17 with #218. They landed to roost at 5:24 p.m. in Grundy County, IL. On Nov. 19 they were just north of Terre Haute, IN. They were were detected in flight in Kentucky on Nov. 21. On Nov. 23 they were in Franklin County, TN where they spent the winter of 2004.

Spring 2006: Observed with #218 on March 14, and they probably began migration soon after. They were observed March 19 on their territory at Necedah NWR in Wisconsin and building a nest by the end of March. They began incubating by April 6! Like good parents, they diligently tended the nest—but that changed on April 24. They left the nest for several hours. Experts rescued the eggs and replaced them with a dummy egg. Photo and story here. The eggs became the Eastern flocks FIRST CHICKS!

Fall 2006: Despite a mass migration of a total of 28 Whooping Cranes from Wisconsin on Nov. 19, #213 and mate 218 reamined behind. But they successfully migrated south and were seen on their usual winter territory in Franklin County, Tennessee in December. They later moved to Wheeler NWR in Alabama.

Spring 2007: Completed migration (with #218) to Necedah NWR on March 23. They built at least three nests at different locations in their territory during but none were successful. An egg from the nest they began incubating April 16 but abandoned April 20 was collected. This egg was incubated in captivity and hatched into chick #717 for the Classs of 2007 ultralight-led chicks!

Fall 2007: Pair #213 and #218 left Wisconsin on November 22. Reported in Gibson County, Indiana, on November 24. Found on a wildlife refuge in Morgan County, Alabama, on November 28 and were still there at the end of December.

Spring 2008: This pair was visually confirmed back at Necedah NWR by March 30, when they were seen challenging mates #309 and #403 for that pair's territory. On April 8 or 9, pair #218 and #213 began incubating on their new nest. On May 6 they abandoned their nest after a surge of warm weather. Their one good egg was saved and brought to ICF and then to Patuxent, where it hatched and became #805 for the Class of 2008 utralight-led chicks. (The pair has not successfully nested, but their egg for Chick #805 is their chick hatched for the ultralight flock.)