Record Year for the Endangered Whooping Cranes in Central Canada

With the onset of nesting and hatched young of the Whooping Cranes this summer, wildlife officials flew in to conduct the annual census of this endangered species at Wood Buffalo National Park, in Canada. Aerial surveys were done “soon after most of the chicks had hatched to try to maximize the number” observed.

The wetland region west of Lake Athabasca and south of Great Slave Lake, is the sole breeding habitat for the species. These plains of the Peace-Athabasca Delta are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ramsar wetland of international significance.

A May survey by Brian Johns and Lea Craig-Moore of the Canadian Wildlife Service, located 62 nests during the survey of breeding pairs, according to the May 19 online survey report.

Fish and Wildlife Service pilot “Jim Bredy along with Brian Johns and Tom Stehn conducted whooping crane production surveys June 13-18, 2007. Three additional nests were located... The surveys located a record 65 nests and record 84 chicks, including 28 sets of twins.”

There were 62 nests in 2006 at the national park habitats, with 76 chicks that included 24 sets of twins.

“Fifty-six of the 65 nests (86.2%) produced one or more chicks. This is a very high percentage and comparable to other excellent production years (3% in 2005, 85% in 2004 and 86% in 1997). Of the 9 pairs that failed to hatch an egg, 2 of those pairs had their eggs predated in May and one bird was sitting on a nest with no eggs.

“Of the pairs that potentially could have had chicks in June, 56 of the 62 actually did. Thus, the record chick production in 2007 resulted from both high productivity and a large number of nests. Two pairs that are well known at Aransas (Lobstick and Big Tree) both had twin chicks in June.

“An estimated 4 known adult pairs failed to nest but were sighted present on their territories, comparable to the 10 pairs that failed to nest in 2006. Thus, there are a minimum of 69 breeding pairs in the population.

“A record 65 nests and 84 chicks, including 28 sets of twins, were surveyed. This compares to 2006 when 62 nests, 76 chicks and 24 sets of twins were found.

“This year’s record chick production was a result of both high productivity and the high number of nests,” said Tom Stehn whooping crane coordinator, based at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

“Favorable, warm weather” was “a big factor in the chick’s survival,” according to the aerial survey report. During the season, “habitat conditions were better than expected with water levels thought to be slightly above average. The weather during the June production surveys was exceptionally warm with no cold, wet weather.” “The North American population of whooping cranes now exceeds 500 birds for the first time in 100 years,” Stehn said.

This number of adult pairs on the surveys were “close to the 67 adult pairs identified present” during the 2006-07 winter at Aransas NWR.

Whooping Crane Recovery Program

Other wildbirds of the park area include "a typical community of boreal forest and wetland birds including Yellow-rumped Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Swamp Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, and Bald Eagle," according to information at Birdlife International. The Peregrine Falcon also occurs.