Sept. 18, 2001

by Jennifer Rabuck, Necedah National Wildlife Refuge

On September 18, the two cohorts of birds were let out of their enclosures onto the grass training strip. This marked the first time that the birds were able to interact without any fencing between them. Three costumed handlers took advantage of a low cloud bank and grounded aircraft and used the day to let the cranes work on establishing their dominance structure. Initially they jumped and flapped about, lifting off to chase each other. From the blind we were provided an excellent viewing opportunity and a chance to see the cranes' beautiful markings: at one point they came within 10 feet of the one-way glass windows! The interaction was quite mild overall. The two groups seemed to mesh rather easily, with only a few ruffle threats, a couple jump-rakings attempts and relatively half-hearted chases. Within minutes the entire group made its way to the marsh and were then focused on foraging and exploring and seemed to virtually ignore each other. Hopefully future experiences together will go equally as well and without excessive aggression.

Last updated: May 7, 2009