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DAR Birds Transferred to Necedah
On Tuesday, July 21, 2009, 11 Whooping Crane chicks were transferred from ICF to the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) to make up the 2009 Direct Autumn Release (DAR) cohort. The DAR birds are initially isolation reared at ICF and then at the Necedah NWR until the fall when they are released on or near the refuge with older Whooping Cranes and Sandhill Cranes from whom they learn the migration route.

The 11 chicks, originating from eggs produced here at ICF as well as the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland and the Audubon Species Survival Center in Louisiana are numbered 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, and 42-09.  The 11 chicks range quite a bit in age and size this year with #32-09 being 57 days old when transferred and #42-09 being 39 days younger and just 18 days old when transferred. 

Most of the DAR chicks this year are female with just three males (#’s 38, 39, & 41-09) in the group of 11.  With 23 ultralight birds and 11 DAR birds there could be as many as 34 (15 males and 19 females) new birds added to the population this fall and winter!  There is currently a shortage of females in the WCEP population (47 males and 31 females), resulting in a lot of single males on the refuge essentially waiting for a female, so it’s great to finally have a large number of females for release this year.

Another positive note is that all 12 birds raised in isolation at ICF this year survived, 11 were transferred for the DAR program and the 12th bird, Rhubarb is being held back at ICF due to her high genetic value. Stay tuned for more updates on the DAR chicks coming soon!

Photo caption: Each bird rides to Necedah in its own individual crate and with chicks ranging from 18 days to 57 days we need crates of varying sizes.  Shown here are the smallest and largest crates showing the incredible size difference between the chicks that were in each of these.

Update by Sara Zimorski, ICF Aviculturist/WCEP Tracking and Winter Management Co-chair.