Natural History
Explore whooping crane biology, behavior, lifecycle, diet, and more!
Behaviors
Whooping cranes are social birds that display a diverse array of behaviors. Whether they are warding off a predator, caring for young, or dancing for a mate, each behavior serves a specific purpose.
Flight
With a powerful wingspan of nearly eight feet, whooping cranes fly with elegance. Various flight behaviors may include flapping, gliding, and soaring. Subtle changes to the angle of their wings allow the cranes to soar with hot air thermals without flapping.
Unison Call
Pair-bonded whooping cranes throw their heads backward, stand tall with bills pointing to the sky, and in unison, make a cacophonous whooping call. As the male lets out a long ‘whoooooop’, the female responds by pumping her head back and forth and, in series, emits two short ‘whoops’. This behavior is seen most commonly during courtship ritual displays, or may be expressed to ward off intruders in a pair’s nesting territory.
Courtship Dance
During the spring season while still on their wintering grounds, whooping cranes begin to either renew their pre-existing bonds with a lifelong partner, or find a new mate. Courtship dancing is an integral part of the mating process and consists of bugling calls, bobs, bows, exuberant repeated leaps, flaps, running, and the occasional tossing of plant material.
Defensive Posture
Whooping cranes are known to display many threat postures– they use one in particular to appear larger and more intimidating. This is known as the “Arch Display,” with back arched, wings outstretched and held high, and an expanded red crown patch on the head.
Pre-Flight Posture
Prior to take-off, whooping cranes lean into the wind, holding their wings down by their side. The body leans into a stiff angle, with the head and neck outstretched. This is thought to gauge whether other cranes are ready for flight and to synchronize flight within their flock.
Brooding
When a whooping crane hatches, they are small, softball-sized, and covered in down feathers. For the first few weeks, the attentive parents tuck their chick under a wing full of large black and white feathers to keep them warm and dry. Tenting, as it is sometimes referred to, is done primarily by the female, although the male is known to occasionally brood.
Preening
Keeping feathers clean is an important daily routine for whooping cranes. Using their bills, they move oils secreted from the uropygial gland located at the top of the tail. The oil acts as a feather conditioner, helping the feathers remain waterproof. Whooping crane feathers wear out over time, so the birds go through a full molt every 2-3 years.
Ruffle
The cupid shuffle or the whooping crane ruffle? Ruffling happens when bare skin is contracted and feathers are raised and fluffed, making the body of the whooping crane appear larger. Ruffling is a low-intensity threat behavior accompanied by growling noises and head bowing.