How many Whooping Cranes are alive today?

As of the most recent USFWS survey, approximately 557 Whooping Cranes are estimated to be alive in the wild Aransas-Wood Buffalo population — the species' only self-sustaining wild flock. This is a record high for the population, which numbered just 15 birds in 1941. Additional birds exist in captive breeding programs and in reintroduced non-migratory flocks in Louisiana and Wisconsin.

Where do Whooping Cranes winter in Texas?

The wild Whooping Crane population winters along the Texas Gulf Coast, primarily at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge near Rockport and on the surrounding tidal flats, salt marshes, and coastal prairies of the mid-Texas coast. The cranes spend winters feeding on blue crabs, wolfberries, and other coastal foods before migrating north to Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada each spring.

When is the best time to see Whooping Cranes in Texas?

November through March is the best window to see Whooping Cranes in Texas. Birds typically arrive at Aransas NWR in late October and depart for Canada in April. The most reliable viewing is from the observation tower at Aransas NWR or by taking a boat tour from Rockport, which allows close approach to foraging birds on the tidal flats.

Are Whooping Cranes still endangered?

Yes — the Whooping Crane remains Federally Endangered in the United States. Although the population has grown significantly from the all-time low of 15 birds in 1941, the wild flock is still considered at risk due to its small size, dependence on a single wintering area, and vulnerability to disease, habitat loss, and collision with power lines during migration. The species is listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

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June 2026ConservationWildlife Recovery

Record Number of Whooping Cranes Wintering in Texas This Year

Good news for one of the most dramatic conservation comeback stories in North America: the most recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey recorded 557 whooping craneswintering along the Texas coast — a record high for the species' only self-sustaining wild population.

From 15 birds to 557

It's hard to overstate how close this species came to disappearing. By 1941, only about 15 whooping cranes remained wintering at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, the species' last stronghold. Decades of protection — starting with the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act and continuing through Endangered Species Act listing in 1970 — combined with public awareness campaigns and dedicated habitat protection slowly rebuilt the population, generation by generation, to the 557 birds counted this winter.

This wild population, known as the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population, migrates roughly 2,500 miles each year between nesting grounds in Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada, and wintering habitat on the Texas coast. Read more on our Whooping Crane species page.

The work isn't finished

Researchers and conservation groups caution that this success doesn't mean the threats are gone. Whooping cranes still face risks from agricultural and infrastructure development, shrinking freshwater inflows into coastal marshes, accidental shootings, and avian flu. A multiyear partnership between the San Antonio River Authority, Texas Water Trade, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and the International Crane Foundation is now working to deliver freshwater to flood wetland habitat near Aransas — part of an ongoing effort to keep the recovery on track.

Three smaller, human-introduced populations also exist in Wisconsin/Florida, Louisiana, and Florida, but the Texas-wintering population remains the only genuinely wild, self-sustaining group — making this record count especially meaningful.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2024–2025 winter survey, The Invading Sea