The Story of the Whooping Crane

Whooping Cranes are the largest flying birds in North America, standing at an astounding 5 feet tall! They are also the rarest of all crane species.

They can be identified by their striking white feathers, red skin patches on their heads, and black wing tips.

In the last century, they faced near extinction. Through the conservation efforts of many, they are now on the road to recovery.

Over the last 40 years a series of reintroduction projects have been developed to establish new wild Whooping Crane populations in North America. The projects have had varying success. As each project builds on previous attempts. we learn the most effective techniques.

Today, as a result of years of dedication, two additional Whooping Crane populations have been established. The first, numbering around 85 birds, migrate through the eastern United States. The second, a non-migratory flock in the species’ historic range in southern Louisiana, numbers approximately 69 individuals. In 2006 in the Eastern Migratory Population and 2016 in the Louisiana Non-migratory population, the first wild chicks successfully fledged – symbols of hope for the future of Whooping Crane conservation.

Several different methods were used to reintroduce Whooping Cranes and teach the young birds their migratory route from Wisconsin to the southeastern United States. These included costume-rearing groups of chicks by staff, which were taught to migrate using ultralight aircraft or directly released as a group in Wisconsin their first fall near adult Whooping Cranes.

In 2016, we stopped using the costume rearing method to raise chicks for release into Wisconsin. Instead, our captive crane pairs raise chicks on their own until the chicks reach fledgling age. We call this process parent-rearing. Prior to their first fall migration, the parent-reared chicks are released individually or in pairs in Wisconsin near wild Whooping Crane pairs or groups. Our goal is for the adults to “adopt” the young birds and teach the chicks their migratory route.  Click here to learn more about this rearing and release method .

Our staff is continuing to costume-rear Whooping Crane chicks at our chick-rearing facility for the Louisiana reintroduction. Due to the still small, but growing, size of the Louisiana flock, protocols for raising chicks for reintroduction in this population continue to focus on costume-rearing techniques that produce a higher number of chicks to help this population become established in the wild.