Journey North Whooping Crane Migration

Meet the New 2007 DAR Whooping Crane Chicks!

Photo: Danielle Desourdis, USFWS Intern

Crane #42-07 DAR

Date Hatched

June 8, 2007

Gender

Female

Weight: 4.7 kg

Egg Source: SSC, Louisiana

Permanent Leg Bands:

Left Leg:
W/G/W

Right Leg:
R/G

Read more about the raising and naming of the DAR chicks.

Personality and History
After hatching at ICF, this chick was nicknamed "Plumb-bob" by caretakers, but her real and only official name is DAR 41-07. She seemed short and sqat, almost bowlegged, as she started growing. She was low girl on the totem pole. She used to be aggressive but she got VERY scared one night. Marianne thinks that a bear might have come around and terrified her.
DAR 41-07 was released on October 30 on Necedah NWR along with DAR 37-07, 40-07, and 44-07. She flew with #37-07 to roost on the north Sandhill roost on her first night of freedom.
DAR chicks #42-07, 39-07, 37-07, 40-07, 43-07, and 44-07 roosted with adult #102 on the night of Nov. 5. That's a good sign that maybe they'll follow her south.

Nov. 29 in Illinois. Click to enlarge.

Photo Richard Urbanek
ICF Tracking Team

History
First Migration South: Nov. 6, 2007: The group of 6 DAR chicks joined Whooping Cranes #309 and 403 and sandhill cranes at another spot on Necedah NWR. Several other adult Whooping Cranes and about 200 sandhill cranes were also nearby. And then the 6 young DAR birds did a surprising thing: they began migration, all by themselves and with no adult whooper or sandhill crane to lead the way! The chicks took off in 20 mph NNW winds under partly cloudy skies. They flew south 214 miles and landed to roost in a small pond in a harvested cornfield in Peoria County, Illinois. They resumed migration Dec. 5 after their roost pond became frozen. With tailwinds, they flew 167 miles and landed to roost in Clinton County, Illinois. (See their map.)

On December 11, 2007, the six off-course cranes were captured and moved to Tennessee by the ICF tracking teamso they could more easily find adult cranes to follow south. DAR 42, 37, and 44 remains in the area around Meigs County,

Spring 2008 and First Unassisted Migration North: Began migration March 16 from her wintering grounds in Meigs Co, Tennessee along with DAR 37-07, 39-07, 43-07, 44-07, and 46-07. They made good progress, roosting for one night in Adair County, Kentucky and then resuming migration the next day to Clark County, Indiana. On March 21st, they continued migration to Fayette County, Indiana. PTT data (satellite data) for DAR 39-07, 44-07, and 46-07 indicated they finally moved again on April 16. The group proceeded to Tuscola County, Michigan for several weeks. They were still there as of mid May, although some members of the group briefly wandered away and returned. On June 2 trackers traveled to the cranes' location to try to capture them all and bring them back to Wisconsin. Only one crane, #37-07, was successfully captured and returned. The tracking team returned June 10 and caught 42-07 and 2 others and brought them back to Wisconsin! She wandered all summer, and spent time in southeastern Minnesota. She was with males #703 and 707, and female 39-07 (DAR)

Last Updated: 8/26/08

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