Endangered birds arrive in Florida

Uncooperative Illinois weather extends passage from three days to 15 days

[DEC. 14, 2004]  SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has revealed the successful completion of this year's whooping crane migration. The chicks were led by an ultralight as they flew the 1,228-mile route from Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, in Wisconsin, to Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, along Florida's central Gulf Coast. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources provided support to the bird migration, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, led by Operation Migration. The birds spent a total of 15 days in Illinois, more than in any other state along the migratory path.

The birds were scheduled to stay in Illinois for only three days, but the trip through the state ended up lasting from Oct. 21 to Nov. 5. The journey was delayed because of inclement weather that prohibited safe flying conditions. The cranes will make their return migration in the spring through Illinois without escort.

"Because the birds have a sort of internal Global Positioning System, they only need to be escorted one time," said John Christian of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "They will make the migration on their own through the rest of their lives.

"We have observed that migration is a key component to mating behavior among the birds. This successful journey is an important step in one day seeing these birds flourish in the wild again."

Of the 14 birds that took off from Wisconsin, 13 made the journey successfully. A day before reaching the Chassahowitzka refuge, one of the young birds, number 6, died. Doctors at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine discovered the bird showed evidence of parasitic and bacterial infection, leading to the difficult decision to euthanize the bird.

These cranes represent the fourth generation of birds to make the historic, assisted migration from Wisconsin to Florida. Cranes from the ultralight-led migration classes of 2001, 2002 and 2003 are making or have completed their own unassisted southward migrations, representing another milestone in this historic reintroduction effort. There are now 35 migratory whooping cranes in the wild in eastern North America.

The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, an international coalition of public and private groups, is conducting the project in an effort to reintroduce this highly imperiled species in eastern North America.

"We are proud of the role Illinois played in providing safe passage for these birds," Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Joel Brunsvold said. "IDNR has actively developed wetlands, and those provide the needed sanctuary to all migratory birds, including the whooping crane.

"Illinois had great success in nurturing the wild turkey. We look forward to the day when the whooping crane will also be a common feature of the Illinois landscape."

Whooping cranes, named for their loud and penetrating unison calls, live and breed in wetland areas, where they feed on crabs, clams, frogs and aquatic plants. They are distinctive animals, standing 5 feet tall, with white bodies, black wingtips and red crowns on their heads.

The majestic whooping crane is the largest bird in North America. It remains on the endangered species list. Whooping cranes were on the verge of extinction in the 1940s, and today, there are only about 275 in the wild. That population includes 35 Wisconsin-Florida birds, a migrating population in the Northwest Territories of Canada and a nonmigrating flock of approximately 100 birds that live year-round in the central Florida Kissimmee region.

More information is available online at www.bringbackthecranes.org and www.operationmigration.org/Field_Journal.

[Illinois Department of Natural Resources news release]