Where are whoopers from?
Historically, the whooper’s breeding range stretched from Alberta, Canada to the southern end of Lake Michigan. The wintering grounds included parts of northern Mexico, the Texas Gulf coast, and parts of the Atlantic coast. There were groups of non-migratory whoopers that lived in Louisiana, and possibly some other areas in the southeastern United States. There was a sharp decline of the population of whoopers starting in the 1800s due to man-made changes of habitat, hunting, and feather and egg collecting. By the 1940’s, fewer than 20 birds survived in a single remaining flock. Thanks to conservation efforts and international cooperation between Canada and the United States, this wild flock of whoopers currently has about 188 birds. The flock migrates between a northern area of Canada, Wood Buffalo National Park, and a southern area of the United States, the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas on the Gulf coast. The whoopers spend their winter in warm Texas, but return to Wood B
