Is this a whooping crane?
Surprise! This is not a whooping crane. It is a leucistic
sandhill crane — one whose feathers did not develop the
gray pigments that sandhills should have, so the feathers remain
white. The dark red crown on the top of the head is that of a sandhill
crane. Look
at the whooping crane photo below to compare:
-
How is the red bald patch on the head of a whooping crane (below) different from a sandhill's?
- What
is another difference you see between a sandhill crane and a whooping
crane?
leucistic sandhill crane
Photo Jeannette Parker
whooping crane
Photo NickCantu, USFWS
