Whooping Crane Training at
Necedah National Wildlife Refuge
June 27, 2002
by Colleen B. Robinson, Park Ranger, Necedah National Wildlife Refuge
Today marks the arrival of the last of the "Class of 2002" whooping crane chicks to Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin. The group of ten chicks were transported by aircraft from their hatching place at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland. This younger group of chicks follows the rest of their class; seven slightly older chicks that arrived at the refuge on June 12, 2002. Flight trainers hope to have all seventeen chicks flying together by the end of this summer. The united flock will then migrate south this autumn by following ultralight aircraft. Meanwhile, the birds will be divided into three groups based on age and trained at different sites to help ensure normal social development of all of the chicks.
The high demand for accommodations at the refuge due to the age difference among this year's chicks has been met by the efforts of refuge staff. A new, additional training site has been constructed for use this summer. Project staff expect the site to be a success, and consider it a job well done.
The birds are healthy and training is already underway and going well.
All five "Class of 2001" whooping cranes who migrated north on their own this spring are back in central Wisconsin and frequenting the refuge. These birds are also healthy and displaying wild adolescent crane behavior. Two of the cranes are on their own and so far, another three seem content to stick together. All five birds are often found foraging with befriended sandhill cranes.
Reintroduction Project Updates
This Whooping Crane Migratory Reintroduction project involves many public and private partners, sponsors, and donors who give their time, money or resources in support. Check out how you can help reintroduce migratory whooping cranes to eastern North America.