USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Whooping Crane Report

Socializing in the Pond.

Vicki, an Operation Migration employee, works with Patuxent staff to train the WCEP chicks. In this picture, Vicki is taking WCEP chicks #01, 02, 03, and 05 out to the pond pens to socialize them with each other, to get some exercise, and to get them used to deeper water. Since their pens are dry except for a small footbath, the large pond is a whole new experience for the chicks. These birds, the oldest four, are close to 30 days old. 01, the oldest, has a strap of white tape around his wing to correct angel wing, a deviation often seen in captivity. This wing problem is easily corrected with 2 days of corrective taping.

WCEP #02, with the green band, is still getting his toes taped, but they're straightening nicely. It doesn't stop him from exploring the pond. Not only does the pond host a wide variety of aquatic life for the chicks to catch, but our area has been experiencing the return of the 17-year cicadas, which have been a source of fascination and exotic snacks for this year's chicks.

You can see how much these oldest birds have grown in barely a month. Their primary wing feathers are just beginning to emerge. They've been socialized together as much as possible and are getting along very well. Whooper chicks can be aggressive towards one another, but getting the chicks to socialize at an early age is critical to ensure they'll act as an organized group when they're ready to start flying behind Operation Migration's ultralight.

Photos, Dan Sprague, USGS

WCEP #15, at 12 hours old, is cuddled up with his puppet head. But by day 5 he didn't want to share his food bowl with the puppet any longer and attacked it, forcing us to remove it. In triumph, 15 staked out his food bowl, even falling asleep in it, to make sure that puppet didn't sneak back in again. Funny moments like this remind us that each whooper chick is an individual with his own way of dealing with the world.

Photos, Kathleen O'Malley, USGS

Current Number of Chicks: 17
WCEP Chicks: 16
Patuxent Chicks: 1

WCEP #12 is barely 6 hours old in this picture. He's sleeping next to his puppet in the warm ICU.

WCEP #13 (on the left) is 4 days old in this picture, and #14 (on the right) was only 2 days old when this picture was taken.

We didn't skip WCEP #15. He can be seen in two pictures in the right hand column.

WCEP #16 (on the left) is 6 days old and has a few toes taped. #17 (on the right) is also 6 days old in this picture. 17 is very pale in coloring. The color variation among whooper chicks is subtle, ranging from a dark cinnamon to a more blond shade.

WCEP #18, the youngest chick, at 4 days of age, is being encouraged to eat with the puppet head. 18 is eating on his own a little, but not enough to gain weight, so the staff continues to encourage the chick.

This picture, taken only moments after the one above, shows Mark, another Operation Migration employee, working with #18. Mark has lured the chick to the water jug and has coaxed him into taking a drink.

After leaving 18's pen, Mark comes into the crane workroom, adjacent to the aviary, and watches the chick in the monitor. Just a few minutes after working with the chick, he sees 18 drinking on his own.

This Year's Migration Success!

You can read regular updates and see pictures of the WCEP migratory flock as they leave Florida to return to Wisconsin at the International Crane Foundations' migration website: http://www.savingcranes.org/about/whats_new/. Several of the birds from 2003 have already arrived at Necedah.

Their migration photo journal can be seen at: http://www.savingcranes.org/about/whats_new/.

More updates and information on the WCEP project can be found at:
The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership website and at the Journey North Whooping Crane website.

Regular updates and pictures of the ultralight migrations can be found on Operation Migration's website in their Field Journal.

Information about the WCEP whoopers' winter and summer homes can be found at the Chassahowitzka NWR site and the Necedah NWR site.

Florida Update!

The non-migratory whoopers in Florida are nesting. Information about last year's production can be found on the Whooping Crane Conservation Association's website under Flock Status.

See our Crane Videos!

Hatch Day (Click on numbered links to view all other egg (negative numbers) and chick days).

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