Whooping Crane Conservation Association

An article titled, “The Price of a Whooping Crane” can be read on the website “The Drinking Bird” (April 22). The author, “Nate” describes his concerns about the recent shootings of these beautiful birds and their values to us.

Nate writes:  “With all the time and effort that has gone into the reclamation of the Whooping Crane population, you might get the impression that this is a valuable bird and you’d be right in strictly monetary terms  The FWS has spent on the order of $6.1 million annually on Whooping Crane recovery.  Given the long lifespan of the birds, their low recruitment, and the fact that it takes nearly 10 years to build a population of 100 individual birds, we’re looking at an estimated outlay of something on the order of $126 million through 2035, according to published budgets . You would be justified in setting the cost of a single Whooping Crane, at minimum, at just over $12,000 per year.”

Nate continues: “Perhaps it’s not appropriate to think of the birds like that.  After all,  the population of Whoopers is more important than any individual.  But when the number of individual birds is so low it’s impossible to deny that the loss of any one bird, by natural or unnatural means, resonates in ways quantifiable and not.   Worth isn’t just something quantifiable, it’s the knowledge that the Whopping Crane exists somewhere.  It’s the adrenaline shivering through your veins at the sight of a line of massive white birds rising over a Kansas horizon, or dancing on a Texas saltmarsh.  It’s both subjective and objective in difference measures, but the bottom line is that it matters.”

To read this entire interesting article click on :   http://thedrinkingbirdblog.com/2011/04/22/the-price-of-a-whooping-crane/

— GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA

Jeanine Lackey, Fish and Wildlife Biologist,U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, compiled the following information reported to the Grand Island Field Office depicting confirmed whooping crane migration sightings:

Forty-five sightings have been confirmed in the central flyway since March 4, 2011.  In addition to the confirmed reports, the Service received 18 unconfirmed and 5 probable reports.  The breakdown of confirmed reports by state is as follows:

NE = 19 ND = 11
SD = 8
KS = 4
OK = 2
MT = 1

Mark Bidwell of Environment Canada reports that several birds have been confirmed in Saskatchewan.  Tom Stehn, Aransas NWR reported that two cranes were still present at Aransas on April 17, but those two birds were not relocated on subsequent checks.
During the Spring 2011 migration a large lateral movement of a single group of cranes was documented.  These banded birds roosted on the Platte River at Rowe Sanctuary and were confirmed using a restored wetland 26 miles due west two days later.  An interesting movement pattern.
Four of the radio tagged cranes have been observed on the ground thus far during the spring migration. One of these birds, radio-g/y, was confirmed in Kearney County, NE on April 5th and then confirmed again in Morton County, ND 4 days later.
Ms. Lackey and the Whooping Crane Conservation Association appreciates all involved for your hard work.

The Midwest Region External Affairs Office of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) issued a press release late yesterday describing the arrest and conviction of two persons who killed a whooping crane.

The release included this photo taken by Steve Gifford of a Whooping crane pair near the Patokah River National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana as they migrated south.

A tip from a local citizen led to identifying the individual who shot female Whooping crane #217 in Vermillion County, Indiana in 2009.
The crane killed by the shooter was the matriarch of the reintroduced Eastern Migratory Population who, in 2006, with her mate #211, produced, hatched and fledged the first wild, migratory Whooping crane chick (Wild1-06) in the U.S. in more than a century.
Wade Bennett and a juvenile of Cayuga, IN pled guilty and were charged and sentenced on March 30, 2011. Both received probation, and were assessed fines and fees for their involvement in the shooting of the crane.

Law enforcement agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources investigated the shooting of the crane. The crane, last observed alive by an International Crane Foundation (ICF) staff member on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, was found dead by an ICF volunteer found on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, in rural Vermillion County, Ind.

In early spring 2010, a citizen came forward with information concerning the shooting of the crane. The citizen’s information was valuable to investigators during subsequent interviews of Bennett and the juvenile. Both Bennett and the juvenile confessed to their involvement in the shooting of the Whooping crane.

Observations reported by the public play a key role in solving wildlife crime, according to USFWS Special Agent Buddy Shapp. “People who live in an area notice details that can tell us a lot,” Shapp said. “They sometimes see something or hear something that strikes them as unusual but not necessarily criminal. People might not realize that their observation is significant.

Whooping cranes face monumental challenges in the wild; mortality due to predators and disease, and the threat of continued habitat loss. “The senseless killing of a Whooping crane by a human hand is inexcusable and entirely preventable,” notes Dr. John French, of the US Geological Survey’s Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and a member of the US-Canada Whooping Crane Recovery Team.

With fewer than 400 Whooping cranes in the wild, every bird is important in our efforts to keep this species from extinction. This particular bird was extremely valuable to the recovery program and this unnecessary killing is a setback. It is encouraging there are so many citizens across country who continue to champion the whooping crane recovery, and can help prevent this from happening again,” said French.

In addition to the Endangered Species Act, whooping cranes are protected by state laws and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Visit the web site to learn more about USFWS wildlife conservation efforts.

Tom Stehn, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge reports that, “The eighth aerial census of the 2010-11 whooping crane season was conducted April 13, 2011 in a Cessna 210 piloted by Gary Ritchey of Air Transit Solutions, Castroville, Texas with USFWS observers Brad Strobel, Matt Butler, and Bill Ostrand. Search conditions were good, and all portions of the crane range were covered in the 5.9-hour flight.”

Sighted on the flight were 7 adults and 3 juveniles = 10 total whooping cranes.

Adults + Young

San Jose – 2 + 1 = 3

Refuge – 3 + 0 = 3

Lamar – none

Matagorda – 2 + 2 = 4

Welder Flats – None

Total – 7 + 3 = 10

With only 10 whooping cranes remaining at Aransas and an estimated 269 in migration (flock size 279),

96.4% of the flock has left Aransas. Present at Aransas were two family groups (including a twin family) and 3 presumed subadults. This will be the last flight of the spring unless one additional flight is made in May to see if the 10 have departed. Tom Stehn report concludes by saying, “thanks go to Brad Strobel who has taken over the census flights as I wind down towards retirement sometime later this year.”

Now that the whooping cranes are mostly migrating from Aransas NWR, Texas, observers from various locations are filing reports of birds they spot. Jeanine Lackey,Fish and Wildlife Biologist,U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,Grand Island, Nebraska is compiling records of the sightings. Biologist Lackey has distributed the most recent whooping crane migration data that has been transmitted to the Grand Island Field Office.

There have been 37 confirmed sighting of whooping cranes along the migration corridor. In addition to these confirmed sightings the Grand Island office has received 15 unconfirmed and 3 probable reports.

During a census flight conducted at Aransas on April 13th, 10 whooping cranes were still present on the refuge. Therefore, 269 birds are currently in migration.

Whooping cranes are still confirmed on the ground in Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. A report just came in from Saskatchewan of a possible sighting but this has not been confirmed. The recent weather developments including 55 mph winds out of the NNW, snow, (a.k.a. blizzard) and rain have basically stopped cranes in their tracks.

And now for some recent news about Tom Stehn, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, long time whooping crane coordinator. Tom has announced his retirement “sometimes later this year”. The Whooping Crane Conservation Association has always enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Tom and his retirement presents a mixed feeling for us. Tom has always kept us informed by sending census reports, annual reports, special interesting stories and participating in our annual meetings. We could always count on Tom when we needed special information. So, for all these, and other reasons, we are disappointed to see Tom retire. But then, on the other hand, Tom has served the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and many others exceptionally well and he deserves to retire and spend time doing what he wants to do. So, Tom, whenever “sometimes later this years” arrives, we wish you a happy retirement and we sincerely thank you for all you have done for whooping cranes and those of us who love them.

The LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is working cooperatively with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US Geological Survey, the International Crane Foundation and the LA Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit to restore the whooping crane within Louisiana.

The last Whooping crane nest in Louisiana  was found at White Lake, Louisiana  in 1939 . It is also the site of the newest whooping crane Reintroduction Program.

During 2010 eleven chicks were raised at the U.S.G.S. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, MD and transferred to the Louisiana reintroduction and release site in early 2011. The young birds were held in a pen where they could become familiar with their new surroundings.

The young whooping cranes were recently released from their pen to take their chances in the wilds of Louisiana. The video was taken as the pen doors were opened for the young cranes to be released into the wild:

For more details visit the Louisiana whooping crane reintroduction project web site

Jeanine Lackey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reporting from Grand Island, Nebraska advises, “folks in Nebraska have been busy, especially over the last weekend when favorable migration conditions produced an influx of whooping cranes. One large group of birds (19:2) was the source of much publicity and attracted a few photographers wanting to get extra close”.

Twenty whooping cranes were observed roosting in Central Platte River at Rowe Sanctuary and upstream. Several probable and unconfirmed reports from South Dakota and North Dakota were also received.  Reports from radio tracked whoopers indicate that all 11 birds are currently in the migration flyway and no tracked birds remain at Aransas.

Should a government shutdown occur next week, federal employees will not be allowed to use their government computer or phone.  Therefore, only cooperators using their personal equipment and time will be monitoring the whooping crane population. If the government shutdown does not occur, normal operations will continue.