Whooping Crane
Conservation status
Endangered
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae Genus: Grus Species: G. americana
Binomial name
Grus americana Linnaeus, 1758

as of 2007 Whooping Crane from USFWS Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Photo: Joel Trick File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn3. ... The Siberian Tiger is a subspecies of tiger that are critically endangered. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... For other meanings of bird, see bird (disambiguation). ... Families †Gastornithidae Aramidae Psophiidae Rallidae Heliornithidae Rhynochetidae †Aptornithidae Eurypigidae Cariamidae Otidae Gruidae †Phorusrhacidae The diverse order Gruiformes contains about 12 bird families with, on first sight, little in common. ... Genera Grus Anthropoides Balearica Bugeranus Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds of the order Gruiformes, and family Gruidae. ... Species 10, see text Grus is a genus of large birds in the crane family. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Carl Linnaeus, Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 13, 1707[1] – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[2] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... Year 1758 (MDCCLVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ...

The Whooping Crane (Grus americana), named for its whooping call, is a very large and endangered crane. It is the tallest North American bird and the only crane species found solely in North America. The Whooping Crane has an average lifespan of about 24 years in the wild.^{[citation needed]} An endangered species is a species whose population is so small that it is in danger of becoming extinct. ... Genera Grus Anthropoides Balearica Bugeranus Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds of the order Gruiformes, and family Gruidae. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ...

Physical characteristics

Adult Whooping Cranes are white; they have a red crown and a long, dark, pointed bill while the immature Whooping Cranes are pale brown. They have long dark legs which trail behind in flight and a long neck that is kept straight in flight. Black wing tips can be seen in flight on adult Whooping Cranes.

The species stands nearly 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall with a wingspan of 2.3 meters (7.5 feet). Males weigh on average 7.5 kg (16.5 lbs), while females weigh about 6.5 kg (14.3 lbs).[1]The only other very large, long-legged white birds in North America are the Great Egret, which is over a foot shorter and one-seventh the weight of this crane, and the Wood Stork, which is about 30% smaller than the crane. Both are also very different in structure. North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... Binomial name Synonyms Casmerodius albus Egretta alba The Great Egret Ardea alba, also known as the Great White Egret, White Heron, or Common Egret, is a wading egret, found in most of the tropical and warmer temperate parts of the world, although it is very local in southern Europe and... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. ...

Habitat

Their breeding habitat is the muskeg of the taiga; the only known remaining nesting location is Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta, Canada and the surrounding area. With the recent Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership Reintroduction Project, whooping cranes nested naturally for the first time in 100 years in the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Central Wisconsin, USA. See the Operation Migration link below for further information about the Reintroducation Project. They nest on the ground, usually on a raised area in a marsh. The female lays 1 to 3 eggs, usually in late-April to mid-May. The blotchy, olive-colored eggs average 62.4 mm (2.5 inches) in breadth and 98.4 mm (4 inches) in length, and weigh about 189 grams (6.7 oz). The incubation period is 29-35 days. Both parents brood the young, although the female is more likely to directly tend to the young. Usually no more than one young bird survives in a season. The parents often feed the young for 6-8 months after birth and the terminus of the offspring-parent relationship occurs after about 1 year. Muskeg is a soil type (also a peatland or wetland type called a bog) common in arctic and boreal areas. ... For other uses, see Taiga (disambiguation). ... Wood Buffalo National Park, located in northeastern Alberta and southern Northwest Territories, is the largest national park in Canada at 44,807 km². The park was established in 1922 to protect the worlds largest herd of free roaming Wood Bison, currently estimated at more than 5,000. ... Motto: Fortis et liber(Latin) Strong and free Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Official languages English (see below) Government - Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong - Premier Ed Stelmach (PC) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 28 - Senate seats 6 Confederation September 1, 1905 (split from Northwest Territories) (8th [Province]) Area Ranked... Wildlife at Necedah. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42° 30′ N to 47° 05′ N  - Longitude 86° 46′ W to 92° 53′ W Population  Ranked...

Breeding populations winter along the Gulf coast of Texas, USA near Corpus Christi, Texas, USA on the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Matagorda Island, Isla San Jose, and portions of the Lamar Peninsula and Welder Point, which is on the east side of San Antonio Bay.[2] Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Counties Government  - Mayor Henry Garrett Area  - City 1,192. ... Situated on the Texas Gulf coast along San Antonio Bay, the 70,504 acres of Aransas National Wildlife Refuge are host to an exotic array of wildlife, including alligators, javelina (collared peccary), snakes, bobcats and whooping cranes. ... Matagorda Island is a 38-mile-long barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast, about seven miles south of Port OConnor. ...

Among the many potential nest and brood predators include American Black Bear (Ursus americanus), Wolverine (Gulo luscus), Gray Wolf (Canis lupus), Red Fox (Vulpes fulva), Lynx (Lynx canadensis), Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), and Common Raven (Corvus corax). Adults have very few predators, as even eagles are unlikely to be able to take one down. The Bobcat is the only natural predator known to be both powerful and stealthy enough to prey on adult Whooping Cranes away from their nesting grounds. Black Bear redirects here. ... Binomial name Gulo gulo (Linnaeus, 1758) Wolverine range The Wolverine (Gulo gulo) is the largest land-dwelling species of the Mustelidae or weasel family (the Giant Otter is largest overall), and is the only species currently classified in the genus Gulo (meaning glutton). It is also called the Glutton or... “Gray Wolves” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Red Fox (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Lynx (disambiguation). ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1766) Bald Eagle range  Resident, breeding Summer visitor, breeding Winter visitor On migration only Star: accidental records Subspecies (Linnaeus, 1766) Southern Bald Eagle (Audubon, 1827) Northern Bald Eagle Synonyms Falco leucocephalus Linnaeus, 1766 The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a bird of prey found in North America... Binomial name Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758 Common Raven range Subspecies The Common Raven (Corvus corax), also known as the Northern Raven, is a large all-black passerine bird in the crow family, with iridescent feathers. ... Genera Several, see below. ... Binomial name (Schreber, 1777) The Bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a North American mammal of the cat family, Felidae. ...

The Whooping Crane is endangered mainly as a result of habitat loss. At one time, the range for these birds extended throughout midwestern North America. In 1941, the wild population consisted of 21 birds. Since then, the population has increased somewhat, largely due to conservation efforts. As of April 2007 there were about 340 Whooping Cranes living in the wild, and another 145 living in captivity. The Whooping Crane is still one of the rarest birds in North America. The Siberian Tiger is a subspecies of tiger that are critically endangered. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ...

Diet

These birds forage while walking in shallow water or in fields, sometimes probing with their bills. They are omnivorous and slightly more inclinced to animal material than most other cranes. In their Texas wintering grounds, this species feeds on various crustaceans, molluscs, fish (such as eel), berries, snakes and aquatic plants. Potential foods of breeding birds in summer include frogs, mice, voles, smaller birds, fish, reptiles, dragonflies, damselflies, other aquatic insects, crayfish, clams, snails, aquatic tubers, berries, grasshoppers, and crickets. Waste grain is an important food for migratory birds. Pigs are omnivores. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... For the Dutch band, see Crustacean (band). ... Classes Caudofoveata Aplacophora Polyplacophora - Chitons Monoplacophora Bivalvia - Bivalves Scaphopoda - Tusk shells Gastropoda - Snails and Slugs Cephalopoda - Squids, Octopuses, etc. ... For other uses, see Fish (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Eel (disambiguation). ... This article is about the fruit. ... For other uses, see Snake (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... Distribution of frogs (in black) Suborders Archaeobatrachia Mesobatrachia Neobatrachia - List of Anuran families The frogness babe is an amphibian in the order Anura (meaning tail-less from Greek an-, without + oura, tail), formerly referred to as Salientia (Latin saltare, to jump). ... Mice may refer to: An abbreviation of Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions. ... For other uses, see Vole (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fish (disambiguation). ... Reptilia redirects here. ... Families Aeshnidae Austropetaliidae Cordulegastridae Corduliidae Gomphidae Libellulidae Neopetaliidae Petaluridae The dragonfly is an insect belonging to the Order Odonata, Suborder Anisoptera and characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body. ... Families Amphipterygidae Calopterygidae - Broad-winged damselfly Coenagrionidae - Narrow-winged damselfly Dicteriadidae Lestidae - Spread-winged damselfly Megapodagrionidae Perilestidae Platystictidae Polythoridae Protoneuridae Pseudostigmatidae Synlestidae The Damselfly (suborder Zygoptera) is an insect in the order Odonata. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... Families Astacoidea   Astacidae   Cambaridae Parastacoidea   Parastacidae Crayfish, often referred to as crawfish or crawdad, are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are closely related. ... For other uses, see Clam (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Snail (disambiguation). ... For fungal genus, see tuber (genus). ... This article is about the fruit. ... For other uses, see Grasshopper (disambiguation). ... Bowler Shaun Pollock bowls to batsman Michael Hussey. ... The word grain has several meanings, most being descriptive of a small piece or particle. ...

Conservation efforts

Attempts have been made to establish other breeding populations in the wild. One project by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service was initiated in 1975 involved cross-fostering with Sandhill Cranes to establish a second self-sustaining flock. Although 85 chicks from the 289 Whooping Crane eggs transplanted into Sandhill Crane nests learned to migrate[3], the Whooping Cranes failed to mate and reproduce; the project was discontinued in 1989[4]. A second involved the establishment of a non-migratory population near Kissimmee, Florida, by a cooperative effort led by the U.S. and Canadian Whooping Crane Recovery Team in 1993[5]. As of December 18, 2006, this population numbers about 53 birds[6]; while problems with high mortality and lack of reproduction are addressed no further birds will be added to the population. The USFWS logo The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a unit of the United States Department of the Interior that is dedicated to managing and preserving wildlife. ... The Canadian Wildlife Service or CWS (French: Service canadien de la faune, SCF) is an agency of the Government of Canada, administered by the Department of the Environment, also known as Environment Canada. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) The Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. ...

A third attempt has involved the reintroduction of the Whooping Crane to a new flyway established east of the Mississippi river. This project uses isolation rearing of young Whooping Cranes and trains them to follow ultralight aircraft, a method of re-establishing migration routes pioneered by Bill Lishman and Joe Duff when they led Canada Geese in migration from Ontario, Canada, to Virginia and South Carolina in 1993[7]. The non-profit organization which is responsible for the ultralight migrations is Operation Migration [8], and the larger group, WCEP (the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership), oversees all aspects of the Eastern Introduced Flock. It has been suggested that Ultralight Trikes be merged into this article or section. ... Bill Lishman is a Canadian inventor, artist, and ultralight aircraft enthusiast. ...

The Operation Migration cranes are costume reared from hatching, taught to follow an ultralight aircraft, fledged over their future breeding territory in Wisconsin, and led by ultralight on their first migration from Wisconsin to Florida; the birds learn the migratory route and then return, on their own, the following spring. This reintroduction began in fall 2001 and has added birds to the population in each subsequent year (Except that in 2006, a disastrous storm took the lives of all of the 2006 yearlings.).

As of September, 2007, there were 52 surviving Whooping Cranes in the Eastern Migratory Population (EMP), including 2 of the 4 yearlings released in Wisconsin and allowed to migrate on their own (Direct Autumn Release (DAR)). Fourteen of these birds had formed seven pairs; two of the pairs nested and produced eggs in spring 2005. The eggs were lost due to parental inexperience. In spring 2006 some of the same pairs have again nested and are incubating eggs. Two Whooping Crane chicks were hatched from one nest, on June 22, 2006. Their parents are both birds that were hatched and led by ultralight on their first migration in 2002. At just 4 years old these are young parents. The chicks are the first Whooping Cranes hatched in the wild, of migrating parents, east of the Mississippi, in over 100 years. One of these young chicks was unfortunately predated on the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge. The other young chick, a female, has successfully migrated with her parents to Florida. As noted above, in early February, 2007, 17 yearlings in a group of 18 were killed by the 2007 Central Florida tornadoes. All birds in that flock were believed to have died in the storms, but then a signal from one of the transmitter of "Number 615" indicated that it had survived. The bird was subsequently relocated in the company of some Sandhill Cranes. It passed away in late April from an as yet unknown cause, possibly related to the storm trauma. Two of the 4 DAR Whooper chicks from 2006 were also lost due to predation. [9] [10] is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Wildlife at Necedah. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... 1Time from first tornado to last tornado 2Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita Scale The 2007 Central Florida Tornadoes were a localized, but devastating, tornado event that took place in central Florida early on February 2, 2007. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) The Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. ...

In popular culture

• In the movie PCU the school mascot is changed to the Whooping Crane.
• In an episode of King of the Hill, Bobby and his friends are sent on a snipe hunt and wind up injuring an endangered whooping crane. In the end the Whooping Crane is alive as everyone thinks it is dead.
• Whooping Cranes feature in the Tom Robbins Book Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. The protagonist Sissy Hankshaw hitchhikes to a cowgirl ranch in South Dakota to film an advertisement among the Whooping Cranes (who stop at the ranch during their migration). Later, the cowgirls attempt to keep the cranes on the ranch, causing a standoff with the government. The book was later adapted into a Gus Van Sant film.

PCU is a 1994 comedy film. ... Tom Robbins at a reading of Wild Ducks Flying Backward in San Francisco on September 24, 2005 Thomas Eugene Robbins (born July 22, 1936 in Blowing Rock, North Carolina) is an American author. ...

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Whooping Crane

• BirdLife International (2006). Grus americana. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is endangered
• Natural History article by Paul Johnsgard (1982)
• Whooping Crane(Grus americana). Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved on December 9, 2006.
• Tesky, Julie L. (1993). Grus americana. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. Retrieved on December 9, 2006.
• Whooping Crane: On a Lost Path. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alamosa/Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge. Retrieved on December 9, 2006.
• Whooping Crane Flock Status. Whooping Crane Conservation Association. Retrieved on January 27, 2007.
• Whooping Crane. International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, Wisconsin. Retrieved on December 9, 2006.

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ...

External links

• ARKive - images and movies of the Whooping Crane (Grus americana)
• International Crane Foundation's Whooping Crane page Does breeding and is responsible for the DAR release birds
• Patuxent Wildlife Research Center The largest captive breeding population is housed here. They breed and train the young for release into the wild
• Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership This group overseeing the EMP reintroduction efforts
• Operation Migration This group trains and leads the cranes from Wisconsin to Florida using ultralight aircraft
• Journey North A website for teachers and children that follows the migrations of many species including the Whooping Crane
• Environment Canada Western Migatory Population, Whooping Crane Information
• Crane World The use of artificial vocal communication in training the Whoopers to follow the aircraft
• The Nature Conservancy works to protect habitat for the Whooping Crane
• World Wildlife Fund Works to protect the Whooping Crane and all endangered species.