In 1941, there were only 21 whooping cranes in the world. As of April 2007, there were about 340 whooping cranes living in the wild mostly due to aggressive conservation efforts. The whooping cranes breed in Alberta in the summers and migrate to the gulf coast of Texas in the winters. They feed mostly on blue crabs which are found in marshes where there is the perfect concentration of fresh water meeting with the salt water of the ocean.
Some cool facts:
- the average whooping crane lives 24 yrs.
- they mate for life and stay together unless they fail to conceive, a divorce may occur!
- they are very territorial in their living areas - parents and the current year's chicks stay together in the same area.
- the young whooping cranes will reside in the area adjacent to their parents when they leave them.
- they never migrate in large flocks - only by families - thought to be their own inborn sense of preservation.
- the scientists don't band them, but record their whooping sounds to identify the birds as each has a different sound.
I don't know why, but I just marvel at God's creation of the whooping crane - its uniqueness compared to other birds. I am impressed by its efforts to survive and despite perhaps needing help from humans, the species have kept on. I am impressed that they stay together for life. And they are beautiful birds!
The young cranes have the cinnamon colored heads. The above family actually consisted of the parents and twins.
Don't we have an awesome creative God?
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