Cranes are some of the most endangered but also enigmatic species of large birds. The MPYC has started to replace the 100-year-old bird banding tradition with a novel banding approach. Juvenile cranes of all 15 species are now receiving electronic flight recorders that communicate where, when and why they live and die. This information provides novel ecological information on animal culture within and among populations as well as essential conservation knowledge. Currently, the two MPYC hubs are teaming up to analyze the individual tracking data from Movebank by linking them to environmental features provided by the Map of Life. This is a globally unique data set and provides a transformation of how traditional avian ecologists collaborate beyond state and continental boundaries. The data will help to predict the movement patterns and survival probabilities of cranes and other species.