Whooping Crane

Whooping Crane (Grus americana) is in the Cranes family (Gruidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 4,332 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in February.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: winter visitor. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

Conservation status (iNaturalist): EN.

When to photograph Whooping Crane: observations by month (U.S.)

About Whooping Crane

The whooping crane (Grus americana), the tallest North American bird, is an endangered crane species named for its whooping sound. In 2003, there were about 153 pairs of whooping cranes. Along with the sandhill crane, it is one of only two crane species found in North America. The whooping crane's lifespan is estimated to be 22 to 24 years in the wild. After being pushed to the brink of extinction by unregulated hunting and loss of...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Whooping Crane by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Cranes)

Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensis

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ