{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "whooping-crane",
  "name": "Whooping Crane",
  "scientificName": "Grus americana",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The whooping crane (Grus americana) is North America's tallest bird and a flagship conservation success, breeding in Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada, and wintering on the Texas Gulf Coast. Adults stand near 1.5 m, eat crabs, fish, and plant matter in wetlands, and remain Endangered despite recovery from fewer than 20 wild birds.",
  "conservationStatus": "Endangered",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Gruiformes",
    "family": "Gruidae",
    "genus": "Grus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 7,
    "lengthM": 1.5,
    "topSpeedKmh": 70,
    "lifespanYears": 25
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Grus americana"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Omnivore"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Wetlands, prairie marshes, and coastal flats"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 25 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "About 7 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to roughly 70 km/h when moving at speed."
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Endangered (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Breeds in Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada; winters on the Texas Gulf Coast.",
    "continents": [
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/whooping-crane/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/whooping-crane/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}