It’s not often that you drive by a field and come upon two of the rarest birds in North America. When they are super-close and you can get head shots, it’s a really good day!
![Whooping Crane](https://i2.wp.com/www.blog.catandturtle.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Whooping-Crane_Lake-Wales_202001201_copyrightJessYarnell.jpg?fit=640%2C426&ssl=1)
The Whooping Crane is the tallest bird in North America. It is a cousin of our Sandhill Cranes. In the early 1900s, there were only 21-22 Whooping Cranes alive. Thanks to intense conservation efforts, there are around 600 Whooping Cranes alive today. Two of them like this particular field in Lake Wales. I saw them there a couple of years ago and they looked pretty much the same in 2020, even down to the broken radio transponders on their legs.
![Whooping Crane](https://i1.wp.com/www.blog.catandturtle.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Whooping-Crane_Lake-Wales_202001202_copyrightJessYarnell.jpg?fit=640%2C426&ssl=1)
Of course the birds were heavily backlit in this rare opportunity to be so close to them. The best light I could find was harsh side-light, which totally blew out their beautiful white feathers. Look at that gorgeous red head. I wonder if the birds realize how rare and special they are.
![Whooping Crane](https://i1.wp.com/www.blog.catandturtle.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Whooping-Crane_Lake-Wales_202001203_copyrightJessYarnell.jpg?fit=426%2C640&ssl=1)