Whooping Cranes

The Whooping Crane is the tallest North American bird with a height of about 5 ft. and a wingspan of about 7½ ft. Along with the Sandhill Crane, it is one of only two crane species found in North America. The population has gone from an estimated 10,000+ birds before the settling of Europeans on the continent to 1,300-1,400 birds by 1870. There were only 15 adult birds left in the wild by 1938. After being pushed to the brink of extinction by unregulated hunting and loss of habitat, conservation efforts have led to a limited recovery. In 1941, the wild population consisted of 21 birds with another 2 in captivity. The Whooping Crane was declared endangered in 1967. As of 2011, there were an estimated 437 birds in the wild and more than 165 in captivity. Despite the population increase, the Whooping Crane is one of the rarest birds in North America and are still considered critically endangered. The stamp was issued on November 22, 1957 in Corpus Christi, Texas near major wintering grounds on the Gulf Coast