WHOOPING CRANE NEST BUILDING IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA

Authors

AMY J. KEARNS, Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife Mitchell Field Office
HILLARY L. THOMPSON, International Crane Foundation
ALLISYN-MARIE T. Y. GILLET, Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife Bloomington Field Office

Date of this Version

2022

Document Type

Article

Citation

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN CRANE WORKSHOP 15:128-133

Comments

Used by permission.

Abstract

The first documented case of whooping crane (Grus americana) nest building in Indiana is described. During spring 2015, a pair of whooping cranes did not leave their wintering grounds in Gibson County, Indiana, to return to their summering area in Wisconsin. Three nest platforms were discovered after the death of the female crane. To date, this is the only documented example of a whooping crane pair in the reintroduced Eastern Migratory Population (EMP) building nest platforms outside of Wisconsin. Although fidelity to the core nesting areas in Wisconsin is strong, and natal dispersal is usually <30 km, this example from Indiana shows that whooping cranes in the EMP may have the potential to pioneer nesting areas far outside of core reintroduction areas.