Local4 viewer spots rare Whooping Crane near Doniphan

DONIPHAN, Neb. (KSNB) - At least one whooping crane has stopped in Nebraska during its migration north.

Local4 viewer Adam Schuldt took these pictures Saturday just north of Doniphan. A spokesperson at the Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center verified the photos to Local4 Monday.

The Crane Trust said the whooping crane is the tallest bird in North America. It is on the endangered species list. The Trust says there are around 800 total in the world. About 500 in a wild migratory flock that breeds during the summer in the Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada and spends winters in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. About 300 more are in captivity as part of reintroduction efforts in eastern North America, according to the Trust.

The whooping crane in these photos are seen near a flock of sandhill cranes. Both species follow about the same migration patterns each year.

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