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Whooping Crane
Grus americana
Migration Flyway
Showing primary migration corridor(s) for this species
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About the Whooping Crane
The whooping crane (Grus americana) is an endangered crane species, native to North America, named for its "whooping" calls. Along with the sandhill crane (Antigone canadensis), it is one of only two crane species native to North America, and it is also the tallest North American bird species, with an estimated 22–30+ year life expectancy in the wild. After being pushed to the brink of extinction by unregulated hunting and loss of habitat that left just 21 wild (and two captive) cranes by 1941, the whooping crane made a partial recovery through conservation efforts. The total number of cranes in the surviving migratory population, plus three reintroduced flocks and in-captivity, is just over 830 birds as of 2025.
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Grus americana
- Family
- Cranes
- Order
- Gruiformes
Similar species
Other members of the cranes family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.
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Optics
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Cameras
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