# Safer Winter Home For Whooping Cranes?



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

SAFER WINTER HOME FOR WHOOPING CRANES? 
Chuck Quirmbach, December 9, 2002

The small flock of whooping cranes being reintroduced in the eastern U.S. may have a safer time at their winter home in Florida this year. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Chuck Quirmbach explains: 

Last year, bobcats killed two of the migrating whooping cranes that were staying at the Chassahowitzka wildlife refuge in Florida. 

The cranes like to roost in a certain amount of water, but when the tide level inside their pen wasn't right, the birds went to an unprotected area and the bobcats attacked. This year, refuge managers have taken steps to help the 20 or so cranes roost inside their pens. 

Whooping crane Eastern partnership spokesperson, Heather Ray, says many tons of oyster shells have been dumped into a protected area where the tide flows in and out. 

"As the tide goes out, the birds can, you know, move down on this oyster bed and still be in water and as it comes in move up on it and still be in water, so they will hear predators approaching." 

It took about 300 helicopter loads to build the oyster reef. The whooping cranes will stay in Florida until February or March, then are expected to head back toward Wisconsin. 

For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I'm Chuck Quirmbach reporting.


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