148 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



Order VIII. PALUDICOLiE. Marsh-dwellers. 

 Family 21. GRUID^. Cranes. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



A. Tarsus 11 inches or more, plumage mostly white. Whooping Crane. 



No. 77. 

 AA. Tarsus 10 inches or less, plumage mostly slaty gray or brown. 



Sandhill Crane. No. 78. 



77. Whooping Crane. Grus americana (Linn.). (204) 



Synonyms: Ardea americana, Linn., 1758, Wils., 1814. — Grus americana of most 

 subsequent authors. 



The adult may be known at sight by its great size (decidedly larger 

 than the Sandhill) and the pure white plumage with the exception of the 

 black wing-feathers. 



Distribution. — Interior of North America, from the fur countries to 

 Florida, Texas and Mexico, and from Ohio to Colorado. Formerly on the 

 Atlantic coast, at least casually, to New England. 



This magnificent bird is now one of the rarest of our water birds east of 

 the Mississippi River. Formerly it was not uncommon throughout the 

 entire Great Lake region, and was seen singly or sometimes in small flocks 

 by itself, occasionally associated with the Sandhill Crane. Its striking 

 plumage and great size made it conspicuous wherever it appeared, and 

 although well known it probably was never really abundant. 



So far as we can learn there are no recent records for Michigan which 

 are unquestionable. According to Covert (MS. List 1894-95) one was taken 

 at Geddesburg, Washtenaw County, Mich., June 8, 1877. In Covert's 

 copy of Coues Key a marginal note says "Three specimens, Brighton, 

 Mich., April, 1882, Chas. Gushing." Mr. Covert tells me that he remembers 

 the fact of their capture, but nothing more. We have not been able to 

 find a Michigan specimen of this bird in any collection. The record by L. 

 W. Watkins of Manchester (Cook's Birds of Michigan, 1893, 2d ed. 52) 

 doubtless relates to the Greater Egret, which is large enough to be mistaken 

 at a little distance for the Whooping Crane. 



There is a record of one taken at Camden, Ontario, September 27, 1871 

 (Mcllwraith, Birds of Ont., 1894, 116). In Indiana, according to Butler 

 it is " A rare migrant; formerly more common. It has been known to breed 

 in Central Illinois (Nelson), and clear Lake, Iowa (Cooke), and doubt- 

 less did so in Indiana. Mr. L. P. Myers says that in Lake county it is ex- 

 ceedingly rare. It was a summer resident, but the draining of the Kankakee 

 marshes has driven it away. Mr. Timothy H. Ball also writes of their 

 former occurrence in Lake county, that they were common, but not so 

 abundant as the Sandhill Crane" (Birds of Ind., 1897,669). Kumlien and 

 Hollister say "Thirty or forty years ago it was not rare to see'a few among 

 the enormous flocks of Sandhill Cranes during the October migrations, 



