DAR Chick at ICF in the spring

Most of our work hours are spent out in the yard with the DAR Whooping Crane chicks. While the purpose of such yard time is exercise and socialization, I always imagine that I’m taking the chicks to an endless buffet. At 6:30 in the morning, we head to the South Marsh or the Berry Pond for a breakfast buffet. In the evenings, it’s dinner in the Day Pen. So many choices and so little time! 

It’s interesting to watch what the chicks choose to eat (or not!) when we’re out in the field. The chicks have definitely diversified their diets since moving to Necedah NWR. In particular, I remember that while we were at ICF, #32-09 LOVED to eat red clover flowers. She loved red clovers so much that seeing one in the field became a distraction, as she would run to eat the clover instead of following the costume and the other chicks. I thought to myself, “I don’t know how she’s going to make it at Necedah; as soon as she’s somewhere without red clovers, I think she’ll starve!” Luckily, though, #32-09 has taken a liking to lots of things here in the Refuge: dragonflies, water spiders, baby frogs, various flowers, and of course, marsh grasses.

From watching the chicks, I’ve learned that the tender white part of the grasses is the most delicious, and the chicks will happily gobble them up if we use our puppets to break off the white bits. However, the chicks will also try to get them themselves, by ripping the whole piece of grass out of the water. Sometimes when this happens, they find themselves trying to eat a plant that’s too big to handle, and they really have to work to swallow the whole piece. I imagine it would be like trying to eat a three-foot long piece of spaghetti, but without being able to use our hands!

Number 32-09 has gotten so used to the food available out here that it seems she hardly even remembers her red clover days. The other morning, towards the end of an exercise session together, I saw two red clover flowers- the only ones I’ve seen since getting to Necedah! I quickly picked them, thinking I would use them as a treat when #32-09 followed me back to her pen. I gave her the first flower, and she played with it in her mouth for a minute or so, before finally eating it. As she swallowed, it was like she realized what she was eating. She was soon craning her neck and begging the costume for the second clover flower. So I guess that while there are lots of good things to eat here in the marshes, old habits die hard, and for #32-09, red clover flowers will always be her favorite.

Update by Katie Farrell, DAR Intern.