International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin

Whooping Cranes

The Whooping Crane is one of two crane species found in North America, the other being the much more common Sandhill Crane. The Whooping Crane is the tallest of all North American birds. Highly endangered, their population in the wild dropped to 21 birds in the 1940s. Today, due to work by the International Crane Foundation and other conservation groups, there are approximately 600 Whooping Cranes in the wild.

You could mistake a Sandhill Crane for a Whooping Crane. Sandhill Cranes are grey; adult Whooping Cranes are white. Whooping Cranes are a foot taller than Sandhill Cranes. Sandhill Cranes are fairly common in the upper Midwest.

You could mistake a Whooping Crane for an egret. Both species are white, long-legged, long neck birds. However, Whooping Cranes are much larger than egrets. Cranes fly with their necks outstretched; egrets fly with their necks furled. Great White Egrets and Cattle Egrets are common throughout the Midwest.