About the Project
Book
Into Whooperland is a book that encapsulates conservation photographer Mike Forsberg’s five years documenting one of the most endangered birds on the planet, the whooping crane. Throughout the project, Mike captured not just photographs but natural history footage, timelapses of whooping cranes at the nest, stories from those who have dedicated their lives to these birds, and more.
Mike and the Platte Basin Timelapse team wanted to share all this material to honor and uplift the stories of the whoopers and the people who love them.
So we thought, why not make a website and podcast for whooping cranes?
Podcast
In the Whooping Crane Chronicles podcast, Mike talks with the scientists, artists, and landowners he met along his journey, who all share a common connection: their love for whooping cranes.
Website
On this website, you will find images, stories, intimate behind-the-scenes notes from Mike’s journals, conservation and natural history information about these birds, and more.
Watch to Learn More
The goal of this project is to give a glimpse into the lives of whooping cranes in a way no one has ever seen before.
Michael Forsberg
Mike Forsberg was born and raised in Nebraska and has been a professional photographer for 30 years. His books, articles, and films focus on wildlife and conservation stories in the Great Plains. Mike is a Senior Fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers, co-founder of Platte Basin Timelapse, and on faculty with IANR at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Mike lives in Lincoln with his wife Patty. They have two daughters, Elsa and Emme, and a menagerie of animals.
Into Whooperland
Mike Forsberg’s book, Into Whooperland, documents the lives and fragile habitats of the whooping crane — the majestic yet threatened, five-foot-tall white bird that has become the weathervane of America’s commitment to wildlife. In stunning pictures and stories, Mike takes readers up and down this species’ slender 2,500-mile mid-continent flyway and into the dwindling refuges and wetlands where they find food, protection from man and the space to breed. Once on the cusp of extinction, the tough, adaptable whooper now numbers in the hundreds. This important book chronicles the extraordinary, decades-long efforts of conservationists and volunteers to save these birds into the future.
“In his heroic quest to understand the bird, Mr. Forsberg shows us what it is to be a whooping crane, dauntless and prevailing, in the perilous landscape of man.”
Julie Zickefoose
Wall Street Journal
“Forsberg made more than 100,000 photographs in his quest to chronicle these ancient white wonders. Into Whooperland shares these elegant and endangered birds with the world.”
Jennifer Winger
The Nature Conservancy
“This is a book that is as unforgettable as it is essential to all who care about whooping cranes and wild places.”
Rich Beilfuss
International Crane Foundation President and CEO
Project Partners
Meet the Team
Whooping Crane Chronicles is produced by Platte Basin Timelapse–a team of conservation storytellers who builds community around our watershed.
Mariah Lundgren
Web & Podcast Director
Mariah has been a professional conservation photographer and filmmaker for nearly a decade, focusing on stories in the Great Plains and the American West.
Sidney Parks
Graphic Designer
Sidney is a graphic designer and animator who loves using well-thought-out design to educate others, especially about the natural world.
Carlee Moates
Artist & Podcast Producer
Carlee showcases the beauties of nature and aims to encourage further contemplation of ecology through photography and storytelling.
Grant Reiner
Video & Podcast Producer
Grant is passionate about conservation storytelling and showcasing under-appreciated landscapes through filmmaking and photography.
Ethan Freese
Web Producer
Ethan is a photographer who is passionate about emphasizing the value of under-appreciated ecosystems like prairies and wetlands.
Dakota Altman
Web Producer
Dakota finds passion through photography as a means to bridge disciplines and cultivate meaningful relationships with the natural world.
Special Thanks
Tom White, Darcy Love, Andy Caven, Liz Smith, Kim Hachiya, Mary Harner, Marissa Lindemann, Kaden Polt, Nia Meyer, Caden Connelly, Valentina Catalano, Tyler Newlin.
Maps by Eric Knight.
Podcast
Listen to shared stories from those who love whooping cranes.
Natural History
Explore whooping crane biology, behavior, life cycle, diet, and more.
Gallery
View never before seen images of whooping cranes in the wild and captivity.
Get Involved
There are many ways to support whooping cranes, whether that’s through making a donation or sharing your whooping crane story.