Eastern Migratory Whooping Crane Update – May 2025

Whooping Crane pair W1-19 and 1-17 with one of their chicks in Portage County, Wis. Photo by Bev Paulan

Below is the most recent update for the Eastern Migratory Population of Whooping Cranes. During April, birds have started nesting and the first two chicks have hatched! A huge thank you to the staff of the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Departments of Natural Resources of flyway states, the International Crane Foundation, and all the volunteers who help us keep track of the cranes throughout the year. We appreciate your contribution to the recovery of the Whooping Crane Eastern Migratory Population. This report was produced by the International Crane Foundation.

Population Estimate

The current estimated population size is 70 (37 F, 31 M, 2 U). Sixteen of these 70 individuals are wild-hatched and the rest are captive-reared. To the best of our knowledge, as of 2 May, there are at least 53 birds in Wisconsin, two in Illinois, two in Indiana, and two in Minnesota. The remaining birds’ locations have not been confirmed in the last month. Their last known locations (in the past month) are on the map below.

2024 Cohort

W1-24 (U) is still in Greene County, Indiana.

24-24 (F) traveled from Marshall County, Indiana, to Porter County, Indiana.

25-24 (F) was last seen in Hamilton County, Florida, in December.

27-24 (M) was last seen in Lake County, Florida, in December.

28-24 (M) traveled from Jackson County, Indiana, to Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.

29-24 (M) traveled from McHenry County, Illinois, to Adams County, Wisconsin.

Reproduction

Nests that were completed by 2 May:

• Juneau County: 8 nests were a part of forced renesting when black flies emerged
• Portage County: 1 nest hatched 2 chicks

Active nests:

3 in Juneau County, 4 in Green Lake County, 1 in Sauk County

Wild-hatched chicks (chicks listed in bold are currently alive):

• W1-25 and W2-25 hatched in late April in Portage County to parents W1-19 and 1-17.

Mortality and Long-term Missing

None known during April.

Story submitted by Nicki Gordon, Whooping Crane Biological Technician. Click here to learn more about our work in North America.