December 2004
Whooping Cranes USA / Canada - Sensational Result from first Analysis of the winter 2003 /2004 Recordings
During the first analysis of recordings from the wintering area in
Southern Texas (Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, ANWR), which was not
possible earlier than now, a sensation resulted right away:
The male of the so-called "Lobstick" breeding pair (samed after the
breeding territory in the North of Canada, in the wintering area in a
territory called "West Dunham Bay") could be found again! There is a long
story aro0und this male:
- it hatched in 1976, hence is more than 26 years old by now
- he was banded during the banding program run at that time (in the mean time stopped since > 15 years) and was known under "RWR-B"
- with the beginning of the sonografical identification program by me in winter 1999 I was able to identify this male visually by the bands and sonografically
- in early summer 2000 he was observed in his territory with his bands; later in that summer, a pair with chick was bserved, where the male had no bands - did he loose his bands, or was he dead and another male had teaken over?
- in winter 2000 / 2001 I had the chance to make another recording expedition and recorded a pair in "West Dunham Bay" - it was with no question the "Lobstick"-pair, the same as in the winter before in this wintering area! The proof: he had only lost his very old bands, and we were able to observe him acoustically from now on.
- to my regrete, ther were no recordings in the following two winters, but in winter 2003 / 2004 we had new ones: it was still the same pair, the same male! He brought 2 chicks to the wintering area this time again!
- for the first time, in summer 2003, this pair was recorded in his breeding territory, namend "N01/03"
- during the long time of observing this male, he has to be considered being the most successful Whooüping Crane ever of the last wild and self-reproducing population, as he (and his wife) brings a chick or two to the wintering area almost every year
- he is now > 26 years old; and we can follow him by sonography! What a gift.
For further information about behaviour, sonography, voiceprinting of cranes in the world: http://home.nikocity.de/craneworld/