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Earl Aagaard’s opinions about everything that interests him. Og also enjoys gardening, travel, reading, woodbutchery, and lots of other stuff.

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IT’S A VERY SAD DAY FOR ANYONE WHO LOVES BIRDS…...

The whooping crane has been endangered for as long as I can remember…..the population was about 15-20 birds in 1941, migrating between Canada and South Texas, where the CURRENT FLOCK NUMBERS OVER 200. As conservation efforts began to work, and the number of cranes grew, it was decided to start a second flock in another part of the bird’s historic range - this one moving between Florida in the winter and their breeding grounds in Wisconsin in the summer.

Eggs were removed from nests in Canada, whereupon the mother whooper would lay another - the “stolen” eggs were then hatched in Wisconsin and the babies raised by hand using “CRANE PUPPETS”, and CRANE COSTUMES to avoid any identification with human beings. Cranes will “imprint” on any large moving things they see when young, and will later ATTEMPT TO COURT AND MATE WITH the objects of their imprinting. Once fledged, young birds were taught the proper migration route by VOLUNTEERS IN ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT.

This second population had grown to over 80 birds, and another 60 whoopers lived year-round in Florida. Sadly, the migratory flock has been reduced by almost 20% in a single night, as 18 young cranes were KILLED BY RECENT FLORIDA STORMS. It’s not a good day for anyone who cares about the natural world.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 02/04 at 10:18 AM

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