Personality and History

The biggest and most mature bird in this year's DAR group, and the most dominant. Used to be a bit selfish, but now interacts well with other birds close in age. As of August 22 he was very close to fledging, and practices by flapping wings often.

At the end of August he showed symptoms of respiratory illness and was put on medication.

He was released on Necedah NWR with #32-08 on October 18th. On October 22 these two were joined northern end of the refuge by flockmates DAR #35-08, 36-08 and 38-08. These five DAR chicks remained together on the northern end of the refuge. Signals from the birds’ radio transmitters sometimes indicate that adult Whooping cranes may be interacting with these chicks, but their remote location means no one usually sees this.

Fall weather in Wisconsin was unusually warm. On November 1, ICF Tracking Interns Eva Szyszkoski and Binga Elger checked on the five DAR cranes located on a remote part of the Necedah NWR. The area is quite difficult to get to. Binga took this photo of the DAR cranes and adult whooping crane #401. Many sandhill cranes were also with the whooping cranes, but the sandhills flushed when the costumed biologists entered the scene. Photo Binga Elger, ICF

After the death of # 35-08, DAR 31-08 was captured so he could get the PTT transmitter band and colors that #35-08 had been wearing.

Fall 2008 — First Journey South as a DAR Crane: On November 17 DAR chick #31-08 began migration with experienced adult #216 and DAR flockmates 32-08, 36-08, and 38-08. That night the small group roosted near Ogle County, Illinois! They were still in northern Illinois as of Dec. 1. On Dec. 5 they arrived in Lawrence County, Tennessee.

Spring 2009: #31-08 (and presumably 32-08, 36-08, 38-08 and 216) began their migration north from Lawrence County, TN on March 17th or 18th. PTT data indicated that he (and probably the others) stopped in Gallatin County, IL on the 18th and Rock County, IL on the 20th. The group likely reached home on the night of March 22, as all were confirmed at Necedah on March 23! He wandered during the summer and was seen in Columbia County, WI with DAR 36-08 and DAR 38-08 in September.

Back to "Meet the Flock 2008"

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