WHOOPER VIDEO & DVD: Keep an eye on the sky, or on 
your television screen, for whooping cranes ... we'll 
explain on Passport to Texas
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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

The whooping crane, an endangered species, is a tall, willowy bird.

"The whooping crane is the tallest bird in North America, 
standing about five foot tall."

Lee Ann Linam is a biologist for the wildlife diversity 
program at Texas Parks and Wildlife. Whoopers are pure 
white, except for black wingtips ... . 

"And a bit of a red and black pattern on the face. They're very, 
very magnificent - long neck, long legs, very sleek and beautiful 
in flight. And have a kind of a bugling sort of voice."

Last year we lost two whooping cranes in migration, 
killed by sandhill crane hunters who misidentified them. 
So, to help hunters recognize these and other migratory 
species, Texas Parks and Wildlife created an educational 
video and DVD.

"And it consists of a series of clips of birds that might appear 
similar to our wintering geese and sandhill cranes. And allows 
hunters to recognize some of the differences; patterns and 
flights and colors, and shape that would let a hunter be better 
able to make a good judgment in determining whether to make 
a shot or not in the field."

The 17-minute program is available free to hunter 
education instructors, and for ten dollars plus shipping to 
the public. Contact the agency's wildlife diversity 
program for more information, at 512-912-7011. 
 
That's our show for today ... made possible by a grant 
from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration 
program ... For Texas Parks and Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.