Journey North Whooping Cranes

Photo: Operation Migration

Meet the New 2003 Whooping Crane Chicks!
Hatch-year 2003 of the Eastern Flock

Crane # 313

Date Hatched

5/17/03

Gender

Female

Date Arrived in Wisconsin

7/01/03

Permanent Leg Bands

R/W/R PTT (left)

G/R (right)

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

Personality and History

Personality Characteristics: Large, aggressive, dominant female who often chases off the big white older cranes from the 2001 and 2002 ultralight groups. Feisty with costumed handlers. Like to assert authority. Turned back and landed at Necedah on day 1 of the migration along with 302, 310 and 311.

Migration South: Flew every mile!
History: Spring 2004: Left Chassahowitzka together with the other 7 remaining chicks on April 7 at 9:10 a.m. They flew until rain stopped them, landing in Jefferson Cty., FL at 3:35 where they roosted that night. Took off April 8 in the group of 8 but a thunderstorm separated the cranes into 3 groups. #313 and #310 were later found by a pond in a south Georgia pasture--within 3 miles of the southward migration route! Next reported in Illinois on April 16 and at a small pond in northwest Iowa on April 17. Arrived home at Necedah NWR April 19 with #310.

Fall 2004: #310 and 313 began migration from Juneau County, WI on Nov. 7 and flew to Kankankee Cty., IL. They were next tracked on Nov. 15 in Nelson County, Kentucky where they remained at least through December 5. They were no longer at this site when it was checked on Dec. 15. The three birds were next located together during an aerial survey by Lara Fondow on January 18, 2005 in a managed wetland in Colleton County, South Carolina.

Spring 2005: Began migration March 20 together with #310. The two were reported wandering in Michigan the first half of April. Joe Duff says, "They are far enough south that they could circumnavigate Lake Michigan and make it home, but none of us holds out much hope." Cranes #310 and #313 were detected in flight in SE Michigan from tracking aircraft on the west side of Lake Michigan on 14 April. And then---surprise! On May 21 #310 and #313 arrived on Necedah National Wildlife Refuge(NWR). She was seen several times with #208 during the summer.

Fall 2005: Began migration on Nov. 24 with #205. Migrating together, they reached #205's former winter home on a Pasco County ranch in Florida, on December 1. By the end of December, at least 100 sandhill cranes were there along with whooping cranes#102, #212, #208, #105, and #204. The pair (#205/#313) unison-called when the newly arrived whooping cranes flew over them.

Spring 2006: Crane #313 (together with #205) began migration from a cattle ranch in Pasco County, Florida on February 28. A pair of cranes reported March 3 in Indiana could have been this pair. They were confirmed home in Wisconsin March 17.

Fall 2006: With her mate #208, she was one of the last whooping cranes to leave Wisconsin's Necedah NWR in November. The pair was at a migration stopover in
Greene County, Indiana for an extended time, and her mate was found under a power line on Dec. 23. He was rescued and taken for medical care but died on Dec. 27, 2006. Crane #313 remained at their Indiana stopover site until the first week in February. She moved on when the coldest arctic air mass of the season chilled the Midwest.

Spring 2007: Migrated back to the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin, probably by March 12, and she was observed with two sandhill cranes on March 15. Later in March she was associating with whoopers #310 and #205.

Fall 2007: Female #313 and male #318 left Wisconsin on migration on November 22. They were reported with #506 in Alabama on December 27-30. They arrived at their old Florida pen site at Chass on January 5 and roosted there along with #309 and #403. The group of five moved the next day to Sumter County and moved again on January 7, when they separated in flight. Cranes #313 and #318 were tracked to Putnam County, Florida, but they continued northward.

Spring 2008: Female #313 and her mate (#318) began migration March 10 and were tracked to their first overnight migration stop in Madison County, Florida. The pair completed migration back to their territory on Necedah NWR April 3. They built a nest and began incubation on April 13 or 14. On May 6 they abandoned their nest, leaving 2 fertile eggs. The eggs were collected and taken to ICF in hopes they can hatch.