Whooping Crane

Grus americana

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Identification

140 cm (55") Endangered. Breeds in Wood Buffalo Park in Alberta and migrates through Great Plains to winter in Aransas on the south Texas coast.

Heron-like, tall, white bird; bare red face and crown; in flight, shows black wing tips. Immature have reddish brown head and neck.

Only a few hundred birds; population increasing by using Sandhill Cranes as surrogate parents.

Breeding dance is a delight to see.

Song: trumpeting "ker-loo ker-lee-loo"

Details in the field

4 photos

Credit: Claire Timm

Credit: Tom Benson

Watch and learn

2 videos

P1130597 2012-02-07 Wild Whooping Cranes feeding in Leon County, FL

Credit: h2otara

Whooping Cranes

Credit: klbak

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 1 rule

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

1 rule

Rule 1 9 criteria confidence 1

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour were the WING TIPS ?: Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Very long · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Goose-sized · Larger than a goose
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Long-legged wader

result:357-whooping-crane:1:1 Source: 357 Whooping Crane, row 1