WHOOPING CRANE GALLERY
(Grus americana)

At 51″ to 53″ tall, the Whooping Crane is the tallest bird in North America.  The Whooper is the rarest of 15 crane species worldwide and one of only two native to North America.  In 1949, there were only 15 of these birds left.  They have made a comeback but are still endangered.  Almost always in marshy habitats in family groups of three or more.  Can fly up to 50 miles per hour.  Matures at 4 – 6 years and can live 25 years or more.  Thought to mate for life.  Mated pairs defend territory of 30 to 50 acres.  Migrate to Canada from Texas coast in early April to nest and raise young.  Both male and female are white, with a distinctive red crown and red patch just behind the bill (malar mark).  Long dark legs.  A long, pointed yellow bill.  Black wing tips seen in flight.

During our trip to Rockport in March of 2020, Dorothy and I were excited to see two pairs of Whooping Cranes in the wild.  We saw one pair at Goose Island State Park and another pair at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.  It was an experience we will never forget! 

A pair of Whoopers at a private residence near Goose Island State Park. March 3, 2020
Another shot of the two Whoopers near Goose Island S.P. on March 3, 2020.
A pair of Whoopers as seen from the Heron Flats Trail in Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, March 3, 2020.
The distinctive red patch is visible on this Whooper at ANWR, March 3, 2020.
One final shot from AWNR. It was a thrill to see these magnificent birds in the wild!

Some “Cool Facts” About Whooping Cranes From All About Birds…

  • Weighing 15 pounds, the Whooping Crane has a wingspan of more than 7 feet and is as tall as many humans, reaching a height of around 5 feet. Also measuring 5 feet in length is its trachea, which coils into its sternum and allows the bird to give a loud call that carries long distances over the marsh. The Whooping Crane probably gets its name from either its single-note guard call or its courtship duet.
  • The Whooping Crane walks with a smooth and stately gait. Its courtship dance is a spectacle of leaping, kicking, head-pumping, and wing-sweeping.
  • In 1941 there were only 21 Whooping Cranes left: 15 were migrants between Canada and Texas while the rest lived year-round in Louisiana. The Louisiana population went extinct, and all 600 of today’s Whooping Cranes (about 440 in the wild and 160 in captivity) are descended from the small flock that breeds in Texas.
  • The only self-sustaining population of Whooping Cranes is the naturally occurring flock that breeds in Canada and winters in Texas. Three reintroduced populations exist with the help of captive breeding programs. One of these is migratory: researchers use ultralight aircraft to teach young cranes to migrate between Wisconsin breeding grounds and Florida wintering grounds.
  • The oldest Whooping Crane on record – banded in the Northwest Territories in 1977 – was at least 28 years, 4 months old when it was found in Saskatchewan in 2005.