whooping crane

a kind of bird – wading bird – omnivore (= feeding on both meat and plant matter) – belongs to the crane family – large with milky white feathers, black tips on the wings, cone-shaped head with a red skin patch as a crown, and black moustache-like patches on either cheek, long, sharp, pointed beak (bill), long, slender neck, plump body, long, thin, black legs, relatively short 4-6 inch-long tail feathers that droop down on the sloping back part; size: 5 feet tall, and weight: 6-8 Kg; feeds on insect larvae, snails, leeches, frogs, small rodents and snakes, and berries, roots, and, occasionally, carrion (= flesh of the dead animals) and fish; lives for 20-24 years; found in North America

Special Features:

Whooping cranes are named after their loud call that sounds like ‘whooping’ (= hooting cry).  Researchers have found out that each bird has its own ‘whooping call’, just like a person has his own finger print!

The whooping crane is the tallest, and is one of the only two species of crane in North America.

This magnificent bird was almost on the verge of extinction in 1930 – only 20 birds were counted, but with the relentless efforts of some individuals and organisations, these birds are now found in hundreds!

The whooping crane chicks are born with blue eyes that turn yellow in later stages!

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