There were less than 20 Whooping Cranes in 1941. Today, the U.S. population exceeds 500 birds.
The comeback of the Whooping Crane is due to a coordinated conservation effort. A recent survey counted 237 individuals over-wintering in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas.
The large birds reach a height of 5 feed and their wingspan can be up to 7 feet.