Whooping Cranes Spotted in Rice, LeSueur Counties

If you’ve seen a tall white bird that seems a bit out of place in Rice and LeSueur counties recently, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and national waterfowl experts want to hear from you.

Whooping cranes—which once frequented the Upper Midwest before their numbers dwindled to near-extinction 70 years ago—have been seen in these parts this fall, according to a DNR press release.

Anyone who has seen these lanky birds—whose numbers are called “critically endangered” by the National Wildlife Foundation—are being asked to report the sighting to Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership. An online report form can be found be clicking here.

According to the NWF website, as many as 15,000 to 20,000 whooping cranes inhabited North America before their numbers dropped to 1,400 in 1860 and to 15 in 1941. Hunting and habitat loss are cited as reasons for the population loss.

In recent years, however, the crane population has rebounded into the hundreds, says the website.

WCEP started a new flock of cranes in the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Necedah, WI, about 200 miles southeast of Northfield. Birds in that flock have been trained to migrate between central Wisconsin and coastal Florida.

Recent reports of whooping crane sightings in Minnesota are welcomed news, says the DNR press release, especially considering there are fewer than 250 of the bird in the wild.

“These are exciting reports since so few whooping cranes exist in the wild,” says Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer, DNR regional nongame wildlife specialist.  “However, it is vital to give the birds the respect and distance they need.”

The DNR is asking anyone who sees a whooping crane to remain at least 600 feet from the bird, stay concealed and keep as quiet as possible.

“The whooping cranes' natural fear of humans is an important survival mechanism. One of the greatest perils that whooping cranes face is desensitizing them to human presence,” Gelvin-Innvaer says in the DNR press release. “Each exposure puts them at a greater risk from vehicle collisions, predation and illegal shooting.”

Hunters are asked to be especially watchful this fall, so that they do not mistake a whooping crane for other migratory waterfowl, the DNR press release says.

Here are some whooping crane facts from the NWF website:

Description—Whooping cranes are almost entirely white. The body and wing feathers are a bright white, except on the tips of the outer wings. The tips of the primary feathers are black. Whooping cranes have yellow eyes and thin, black legs.

Size—With a height of about 5 feet, whooping cranes are the tallest birds in North America. Whooping cranes have a 7-1/2 foot wingspan. They are lean birds, weigh only about 15 pounds.

Diet—Whooping cranes are omnivores. They primarily eat crustaceans, small fish, insects, amphibians and reptiles. They’ll also eat grains, marsh plants and acorns.

Lifespan—They can live above 20 to 25 years in the wild.

Habitat—Whooping cranes like wetlands, marshes, mudflats, wet prairies and fields.

Communication—Whooping cranes call with a loud, trumpeting bugle. In flight, they also call with a deep trill.