Aransas NWR-Wood Buffalo Flock
- Scientific name: Grus americana.
- Whooping cranes are the tallest of all birds in North America,
standing between 4' to 5' tall.
- Color: Adult is pure white with black wingtips. Juvenile is rust
and white.
- In the wild, a whooping crane's lifespan can be up to 30 years.
- Whoopers mate for life and are extremely territorial after mating.
- The female whooping crane lays 2 eggs and both adults incubate the
eggs for about 1 month.
The average flight speed of a whooping crane during migration is
approximately 45 m.p.h.
- Chicks can swim as soon as they hatch and they can fly within 80
to 90 days.
- While in Texas, the whoopers eat shellfish, snakes, acorns, small
fish and wild fruit.
- Nesting grounds: Wood Buffalo National Park, Northwest
Territories, Canada.
- Winter Home: Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Texas coast.
- Migration: 2500 miles, 15 to 40 days.
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