This is a one hour natural history documentary about the Whooping Crane, one of North America’s rarest birds. Down to just 14 birds in the wild in 1940, learn how unusual and extraordinary restoration efforts have brought their numbers back.
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CLICK HERE to learn about the dancing crane guy and his very picky whooping crane who helped bring the species back from the brink of extinction.
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My facts
We have sand hill cranes the fly over our house regularly making their cool sounds, they hang out in a field about a mile from our house.
The crane identify with the first thing they see so the humans wore crane outfits
Whooping crane grow 5 feet tall and achieve that height in 90 days.
Mom has been to the crane conservatory in Wisconsin twice. It is a very cool place.
Cranes need wetlands to thrive.
A crane couple raises one crane chick every few years.
1. They live mostly in coastal regions
2. They live in wetlands but migrate south near saltwater for winter
3. They’re the tallest bird in North America
Fabulous birds!
The Federal Govt ceased support in 2017 for crane reproduction, and the Patuxent Wildlife Research Ctr birds were re-located.
In Louisiana, hunting and poaching are the cranes’ biggest threat.
The whooping crane;s unique call is enabled by windpipe coils in its breastbone, similar to a French Horn!
1. Chicks imprint on the first moving object they see
2. They can grow to 5 feet in just 90 days
3. They nest on the ground and lay only 2 or 3 eggs and raise 1 chick per year
There are no Whooping Cranes in Antarctica or South America
The 1918 Migratory treaty had a goal of 1,000 birds.
In 2017 support for reintroduction was halted.
Whew, I didn’t think I would get this done in time!! Took my quiz and got 100%.
I really enjoyed this class! Thank you Denmaster!
Whooping cranes can be 5 feet tall and have a 7 foot wingspan.
Baby whooping cranes can grow an inch a day.
Couples mate for life, and usually only raise one baby at a time, Who is kicked out on his own after about a year.
1…Whooping crane chicks raised by people in suits with apuppet Whooping crane parent in Wisconsin initially were taught to migrate by a person in a suit flying an ultralight.
2. Now the adult birds in Wisconsin teach the new youngsters to migrate to Florida and back.
3. The New Louisiana population will be successful with 130 whooping cranes and 25 breeding pairs!
First I want to say I find Whooping Cranes to be incredibly gorgeous and graceful birds. Three factoids I learned were that they are monogomous, they live long (80+ years sometimes!), and they are the TALLEST bird in America. They are VERY impressive. Thanks for a wonderful class Denmaster.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. I think I was surprised most by the length of their lifespans!
Facts
Chicks imprint with the first moving object as their mother.
Chicks go from fitting in a human hand to 90 days later growing to full height of 5′
To Down list Whooping Cranes from endangered to threatened to recovered, they need 130 birds and 25 breeding pairs.
1. From 15 whooping cranes in 1940, there are now about 800.
2. Whooping cranes grow about an inch a day and reach there full height of 5 feet in about 90 days.
3. whooping cranes are sexually mature at age three but usually don’t breed until they are age five.
It was amazing to see how quickly they grow!