Ultralight-led Cranes Begin Migration, October 5, 2006

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Whooper Reintroduction Updates

Chris Gullikson, pilot with Operation Migration, leads the cranes to their first migration stopover site. Photo by Joan Garland, ICF

Current Trip: Fall 2006: Eastern Whooping Crane Migration
Entry October 5

Ultralight-led Cranes Begin Migration, October 5, 2006

Eighteen young whooping cranes began their ultralight-led migration from central Wisconsin’s Necedah National Wildlife Refuge today – the sixth group of birds to take part in this landmark reintroduction project led by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP), an international coalition of public and private groups.

At about 7:30 a.m., four ultralight aircraft and 18 juvenile whooping cranes took to the air for the first leg of the 1,228-mile journey to the birds’ wintering habitat at the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge along Florida's Gulf Coast.

Seventeen cranes followed behind three aircraft and landed at the first stopover site approximately five miles south of the refuge. The remaining bird landed back at the refuge but was later picked up by one of the ultralights and followed the aircraft to the stopover site.

This is the earliest date the cranes have left the Necedah NWR in the project’s six year history. On average, the migration usually begins around October 14.

“Each fall our year’s work culminates in the excitement of migration,” said Joe Duff co-founder, CEO and senior pilot for Operation Migration, the WCEP partner that leads the ultralight migration. “This season, one unique chick in the Class of ’06 will make the migration extra special. Young 2-06 was hatched in captivity from an egg laid by parents from the ultralight-led Class of 2002 when through inexperience, they abandoned their nest.

“As a result, this year, to our usual role as surrogate parents, we have the added joy of acting as surrogate grandparents,” Duff continued. “2-06’s safe arrival in Florida will mark another project milestone; the first second generation whooping crane to be taught a migration route.”

Crane 2-06 is the first crane hatched from the reintroduced eastern migratory whooping crane population. Hatched on May 7, at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Md., 2-06’s parents are whooping cranes 13 (a male) and 18 (a female) from the ultralight-led crane Class of 2002.

In addition to the 18 birds being led south by ultralights, biologists from ICF and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are rearing five whooping cranes at Necedah NWR. The birds will be released in the company of older cranes in hopes that the young whooping cranes learn the migration route, part of the Direct Autumn Release (DAR) program, which supplements the successful ultralight migrations. One of the cranes sustained a wing injury on October 2. The bird is recovering well, but it is unknown at this time if he will be released this fall.

Update compiled by Joan Garland, Acting Director of Education.

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