Cranes use their call to signal danger, to defend their territory, and to court potential mates.
Adult whooping cranes look a lot like Wisconsin s native sandhill crane . Whooping cranes are the tallest bird in North America standing at 5 feet tall. Adult whoopers have an amazing wingspan of 10 feet. Males weigh about 16 pounds and females average 14 pounds. First-year chicks also have black wingtips, but their body feathers are light brown and white.