Whooping crane (Grus americana).
Image: gary_leavens, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Birds
- Population trend
- Increasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2020 global assessment of Grus americana says EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The whooping crane is the tallest bird in North America and one of its most famous conservation cases. It is assessed as Endangered.
It nearly vanished to a few birds in the mid-20th century and has slowly recovered through intensive protection.
Range & habitat
North America; the main wild flock migrates between Canada and the Texas Gulf coast, with additional reintroduced flocks.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- A very small population
- Habitat loss along migration routes
- Collisions and disturbance
Why it matters
Brought back from around two dozen birds, the whooping crane is a landmark in modern conservation and a test of long-term, cross-border recovery efforts.
Gallery
Whooping crane (Grus americana).
Image: Sasata, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Whooping Crane
- IUCN Red List — look up Whooping Crane (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
- Smithsonian's National Zoo