"Twenty-eight is a ripe old age for a crane, so I suspect she died of old age and was then scavenged by a fox or coyote," Johns said of the bird, affectionately dubbed "Green-Red" for the colored bands biologists attached to her legs as a chick.
Whooping cranes are the largest birds in North America, measuring 1.5 meters (five feet) tall, with white plumage, black-tipped wings that stretch two meters (6.5 feet) from tip to tip and a red and black colored head.
The species reproduces slowly. Over the past three decades the population has grown by an average of four percent per year.
Green-Red's long life gave biologists hope the species could survive by having more offspring over a longer period of time and reaffirmed conservation measures such as establishing secure breeding grounds and a hunting ban, Johns told AFP.
Green-Red had 11 offspring with two different mates, helping to bring the species back from the brink of extinction.
"It's the oldest known female in the world. She gave us an idea of how long whooping cranes can live in the wild," he said. "And, she gave us hope."
In 1941, there were only 21 whooping cranes left in North America. There are now 475, including 130 in captivity.
Green-Red was part of a wild flock of 217 birds that migrate each year to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, covering an estimated 225,000 kilometers (140,000 miles) in her lifetime.
The average lifespan of a whooping crane is not yet known, Johns said, but most studied have lived 10 to 25 years. The oldest known male is now one year younger than Green-Red.
Name: Whooping Crane (
Grus americana)
Primary Classification: Gruiformes (Cranes, Coots and Rails)
Location: Migrates between northern Canada and coastal Texas
Habitat: Grassy plains interspersed with marshes, lakes and ponds
Diet: Clams, blue crabs, fish, wolf berries, aquatic snails, insects, acorns and plant tubers
Size: Around 5 ft in length with a 6.5-foot wingspan; up to 16.5 lbs in weight
Description: White plumage with black primary feathers; red crown and below cheeks; long, slender body; long, thin, black legs
Cool Facts: It is the tallest bird in North America. It mates for life. Two birds will dance together before mating, leaping, bowing, running around, flapping their wings, ruffling their feathers, stomping their feet, bobbing their heads, calling in unison and throwing sticks in the air.
Conservation Status: Endangered
Major Threat(s): Habitat loss, human disturbance, accidental mortality and pollution
What Can I Do?: Visit the
Whooping Crane Conservation Association and
Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership for information on how you can help.
