Journey North Whooping Crane Migration

Photo: Danielle Desourdis, USFWS Intern

Crane #39-07 DAR

Date Hatched

June 4, 2007

Gender

Female

Weight: 5.0 kg

Egg Source: Calgary Zoo, Canada

Permanent Leg Bands

Left Leg:
W ( PTT)

PTT

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 "Wingnut" by caretakers, but her real and only official name is DAR 39-07. DAR #39-07 had some damage to her bill from running into the fence when she was afraid.

She and DAR 43-07 were released together October 30, 2007 on Necedah NWR with adult Whooping Crane #102. That night she roosted in the day pen marsh. She later joined five other DAR chicks that were still on the refuge. These six stayed together the rest of the week. They roosted each night at Site 3 with adult female #102. This DAR group moved around to other ponds on or near the refuge during the day. They associated with adult pairs #211/217 and #309*/403 sometimes. Other times they were with Sandhills, or alone.

DAR chicks #39-07, 37-07, 40-07, 42-07, 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!

History

Nov. 29 in Illinois. Click to enlarge.

Photo Richard Urbanek ICF Tracking Team

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 team so they could easily find cranes to follow south. But on December 17, DAR females 39-07 and 43-07 flew to Alabama. They stayed until December 23, when they returned and wandered around the Hiwassee area for the rest of December and into January.

Spring 2008 and First Unassisted Migration North: Began migration March 16 from her wintering grounds in Meigs Co, Tennessee along with DAR 37-07, 42-07, 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. They were were stil there as of mid May, despite some spring wandering. (On May 14 PTT readings indicated that 39-07 moved to Gladwin County, Michigan. She returned to the Tuscola County site by May 16 and so had the other wanderers.) 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 39-07 and 2 others and brought them back to Wisconsin! She wandered at first and then spent most of the summer in southwestern Minnesota. PTT readings in September showed she was still there, along with males #703 and 707, and female 42-07 (DAR).

Fall 2008: A high-precision PTT reading for female #39-07 (still in the Minnesota group with #703, 707 and DAR 42-07) indicated a migration stop near St. Clair County, Illinois, on the night of November 16. The group wintered in Lowndes County, Georgia.

Spring 2009: PTT data from DAR 39-07 (and presumably her group with #703, 707, and DAR 42-07) put her (and probably the others) in Madison County, Alabama on the night of March 19 and in Marshall County, Kentucky on the night of March 22 as they migrated north. She was confirmed back in Wisconsin by March 26-27. On April 22 nest building was confirmed for DAR 39-07 and crane #707. This is a good sign, but they are still too young to lay eggs. Next they wandered back into southeastern Minnesota, where they spent much of last summer and fall — but they returned to the core area in Wisconsin between wanderings.

Fall 2009: DAR 39-07 was reported in Waseca County, MN, along with #707 in early October. Based on PTT readings for DAR 39-07, they remained there throughout the month; however, no visual sightings of the pair were reported.

Last updated: 11/03/09

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