The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership<http://www.bringbackthecranes.org/faq/> (which includes the International Crane Foundation) has a website where whooping crane sightings can be reported online<https://www.savingcranes.org/report-whooping-crane/> . This ensures that those directly involved with whooping crane recovery have this information. As needed, they reach out to partners, including MNDNR.
The WCEP asks anyone who encounters whooping cranes in the wild to please give them the distance this highly endangered species needs in order to survive and thrive including this guidance: -Please do not approach birds on foot within 200 yards; -Try to remain in your vehicle -Use of binoculars or spotting scopes is recommended for viewing -Do not approach in a vehicle within 100 yards. -Please remain concealed and do not speak loudly enough that the birds can hear you. -Please do not trespass on private property in an attempt to view whooping cranes. Researchers have learned that cranes that become overly tolerant of human presence are at greater risk to numerous hazards that could endanger their well-being. We recognize that some birders may share the specific locations of whooping cranes on local "rare bird alerts", but we believe that most people are glad to protect the birds by maintaining their distance and allowing these birds to establish a healthy, wild nature. They ask the media to not release any locations more specific than county level. For more info about whooping cranes, check out their website ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
