Journey North Whooping Crane Migration

Photo: Operation Migration

Meet the 2009 Whooping Crane Chicks!
Hatch-year 2009 of the Eastern Flock

Crane # 904

Date Hatched

May 6, 2009

Gender

Female

Egg Source

Patuxent WRC

Permanent
Leg Bands

(Attached after reaching Florida)

Left Leg		Right Leg

*Juvenile band: Blue
(*pre-ship health check at PWRC)

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

Personality, Early Training
Notes from the captive breeding "hatchery" at Patuxent WRC in Maryland:

During training, 904 jumps straight up and down, wings flapping, because she is so excited to be out of her pen. Barb said #904 was always perfect and so beautiful. But by June 9, her leg became severely bowed almost overnight — very bad news. Barb and Bev swam the chick three times a day in hopes of preventing the leg from getting worse. With a small miracle, swimming might even improve 904's leg. The handlers normally only swim the chicks until they are 21 days old, unless the legs are weak or starting to rotate. So swimming a 34-day-old chick is a big deal. They began right away. Three days later Bev nervously went to check on 904: "I turned on the vocalizer, opened the gate and looked in. She was hock sitting and preening her newly sprouting feathers. She saw me and stood and slowly ambled over towards me. I wanted to close my eyes until I realized I was looking at a pair of nearly straight legs! Unbelievably, the swimming worked! The progress held, and in less than a week’s time #904's leg went from perfect, to bowed, to perfect again. Barb has never see a chick's bowed legs be straightened so well as 904's, and she called it a miracle. Now #904 was feeling better. She was running and hopping again. When Bev brought the little group back from the pond the evening of June 14, #904 led the group! She hopped out in front of the them, flapping her wings. Over and over she ran far ahead, then turned and ran back to join the group. Bev said, "She is definitely on the road to recovery." Hooray, 904!

Notes of Flight School in Wisconsin:

Cohort 1 FLYING Aug. 17 Photo Bev Paulan, Operation Migration

She was flown to Wisconsin with Cohort One chicks on June 25. When they were finally led into their new pen, the tired 904 took a nap. When she awoke, she had a snack and wandered around — right at home! She did well in training sessions, and like all the chicks in cohort one, she was flying by July 20. By early August cohort one was flying circles over the training areas. By mid-August they were flying larger and longer circuits. She is a natural! Geoff thinks #904 seems very curious. She comes up to costumed Geoff when he's sweeping up spilled crane food, as if to say, "What's this? What are you doing?"

The health checks in September made #904 extra wary of the costumes. She gave them dirty looks for 3 days and was last to "forgive" the crane handlers. She became the last chick to exit the pen for training. She has overcome a lot of challenges in her short life, and she can overcome her grudge, too.

First Migration South: Chick #904 (and 14 others!) turned back to Necedah NWR when the Class of 2009 left on their first migration on October 16, 2009. They all had to try again the next day to follow the ultralights to the migration's first stopover site, where five flockmates landed on Day 1. Find day-by-day news about the flock's migration and read more about #904 below.
Oct. 27: Today chick 904 was a great follower! She flew to Stopover #2 with six flockmates and Richard's ultralight. She's getting better! This photo was captured from the CraneCam soon after arrival of the seven "leaders." Nov. 1: Hooray! 904 (and ALL the others!) flew the distance to Stopover #3. No crates needed! Now we can expect more days like this.

Bev says 904, the second-oldest female, is, and always has been the most graceful of the flock. Bev thinks she is the most beautiful. Her black 'mustache' coupled with her mostly white plumage and fine delicate legs, make her a real beauty.

Last updated: 11/05/09

Back to "Meet the Flock 2009"