“North American Cranes” by Lesley A. DuTemple,
Carolrhoda Books, Inc., Minneapolis, 1999, 47 pages, Grades 4-6
In the spring and fall of each year, Nebraska is treated to the spectacular migration of Sandhill cranes and Whooping cranes. Thousands of cranes fly hundreds of miles from their southern wintering havens and rest for several weeks on the Platte River, just west of Grand Island. After they rest and gather their strength, the birds then fly to northern Canada for nesting.
Though all the cranes are beautiful, the Whooping cranes continue to fascinate visitors to the viewing centers. Whooping cranes are the tallest of all cranes, standing about 5 feet tall and having a wingspan of up to 7.5 feet. All cranes have striking features that include sharp pointed beaks, long legs and piercing eyes. They are simply magnificent to see over the Platte River. Lesley DuTemple writes about these stunning birds in her interesting photojournalist book, “North American Cranes.”
DuTemple comprehensively documents the physical characteristics, diet and migration patterns of cranes. Whereas there are hundreds of thousands of Sandhill cranes, Whooping cranes were in danger of becoming extinct in the 1970s. At that time, only 16 Whooping cranes could be found in North America. The reasons for this included the reduction of marshlands, use of pesticides, bird diseases and a shrinking wilderness. To stop the extinction of Whooping cranes, the biologists of the United States and Canada began to work together to increase their numbers.
Whooping cranes have two eggs yearly and the second chick usually dies from starvation. To forestall this, biologists began taking the second egg out of the nest and placing it in a nest of Sandhill cranes. Fortunately, the Sandhill cranes turned out to be good foster parents and many of the second Whooping crane chicks survived.
In the 1970s, most Whooping cranes wintered in Texas. To assist the survival of the species, a second wintering location was developed in Florida. Since Whooping cranes remember their migration routes, it was important to imprint the Florida location on some of the birds. To do this, pilots flew lightweight aircraft ahead of the Whooping cranes and the birds followed the new route. This imprinted the location on the second flock, which now winters in Florida.
The author tells many different aspects of both types of cranes. One of the most interesting is the dances that Whooping cranes perform. They do this while mating and at different times of the year as they leap into the air and let out their famous “whoop.” The photographs in the title are exceptional and will be of great interest to students.
This year, the state of Nebraska is expanding the crane watching centers at the sanctuaries along the Platte River. It is becoming a tourist attraction which both saves the cranes and builds the Nebraska economy.
This is a book to be carefully read in a classroom or home. I think that students will learn best reading in pairs. Then the students can point out interesting facts mentioned in the text to each other. DuTemple’s book, “North American Cranes,” is an impressive work. Students and adults will enjoy the history of cranes and the exceptional photographs of the birds in their natural habitat.
Do yourself a favor and go to the library and check out this interesting book, “North American Cranes” by Lesley DuTemple.
