Whooping Cranes Readied for Release

Five young whooping cranes will soon leave their home at the Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center and be released to the wild in an effort to help build a sustainable population of these magnificent birds in Louisiana.

The chicks were reared by keepers at the Westbank facility who wore bird costumes to keep the birds from imprinting on humans. Several of the chicks were hatched from eggs from a migratory whooping crane flock in Wisconsin and transported to Audubon from the International Crane Foundation. One chick was from an egg laid by birds in the wild Louisiana flock. The chicks will be released to the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area in Vermillion Parish next month. The remaining birds will be kept in human care for breeding.

All of this year’s chicks are named for types of pasta: Fiori, Capellini, Ziti, Vermicelli, Gemelli, Gigli, and Lasagna.

Audubon Nature Institute is an active part of whooping crane conservation and works closely with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and other partners with the goal of developing a self-sustaining population of whooping cranes in Louisiana. This partnership is an example of the importance of collaboration between state agencies and non-profit organizations, leveraging the strengths of both to achieve measurable conservation results and make a significant, historic impact on the future of this species. With the support of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Chevron, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Audubon is committed to the long-term growth and stability of the whooping crane population to save the species from extinction.

Since its inception, the Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival team has raised 55 whooping cranes and after this group is released, Audubon will have released 31 chicks to the wild. Whooping cranes are large-bodied, white birds with a red head and black facial markings. They are five feet tall and have a wingspan of seven to eight feet. In flight, whooping cranes display black wing tips, a fully extended neck, and legs which extend well beyond the tail.

As one of only six whooping crane breeding facilities in the U.S., support of project partners is vital to the long-term success of the whooping crane population in Louisiana.

The Louisiana flock was developed in 2011 when 10 whooping cranes from the U. S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Facility in Maryland were released to the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area in Vermilion Parish to develop the non-migratory flock. This marked a significant conservation milestone with the first wild whooping cranes in Louisiana since 1950.

Anyone encountering a whooping crane is advised to observe the bird from a distance and to report the sighting to LDWF:  https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/report-a-whooping-crane-sighting-or-violation

Anyone witnessing suspicious activity involving whooping cranes is advised to report that information to LDWF’s Enforcement Division by calling 1-800-442-2511 or by using the anonymous tip411 program. Citizens can text LADWF and their tip to 847411 or download the "LADWF Tips" app from iTunes or Google Play free of charge. Citizen Observer, the tip411 provider, uses technology that removes all identifying information before LDWF receives the text so that LDWF cannot identify the sender.