International Crane Foundation

10/31/2026

🎃 👻 Happy Halloween from our flock to yours!

Today also marks the final day of our 2026 visitor season. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who visited the Crane Discovery Center at our global headquarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin, this season.

But wait, there’s still one more chance to visit this year! Our crane gates will reopen Nov. 14 and 15 for the fifth annual Great Midwest Crane Fest. Learn more and register at greatmidwestcranefest.org

📸 The world's best jack-o'-lantern carved by craniac Angel Tullar!

10/30/2026

Our limited-edition retro collection is finally here, featuring our classic 2000s logo! From pins to stickers, patches to hats, and sweatshirts to tees, we’ve got your vintage vibe covered. Shop the collection: bit.ly/4suNM4c

Browse our full October Gift Guide: conta.cc/4ziRznW

10/29/2026

Tune in on Thursday, November 5, for a special multimedia presentation that will take you into the heart of Whooperland. 🪽 Register here: ow.ly/R4pJ5101ovJ

Journey alongside the majestic Whooping Crane with conservation photographer Michael Forsberg.

For five years, Forsberg has followed these birds with his camera, exploring their natural history across the continent, meeting the people who love them, and discovering how these tall, magnificent, and rarest of cranes are navigating our 21st-century world.

Tune in on Thursday, November 5 for a special multimedia presentation that will take you into the heart of whooperland. 🪽 https://ow.ly/R4pJ5101ovJ

This free, virtual program is presented in partnership with the International Crane Foundation as we gear up for this year's Great Midwest Crane Fest! Whether you'll be joining us in-person for the crane festivities November 14-15 or prefer to stay cozy at home this Crane Fest weekend, this event is a great way to kick off the migration season.

Register today to join live or get access to the replay!

10/29/2026

IT JUST TAKES HOPE!! Congrats to the Milwaukee Brewers!💙💛

10/28/2026

Our team was honored to attend this week's annual Texan by Nature Conservation Summit in Dallas! Last year, our Texas Program was one of the organization's select Conservation Wranglers, and we were excited to welcome the 2026 nominees to this prestigious "flock" at this year's summit.

📸 Gulf Coast Program Director, Dr. Carter Crouch, and Kate Fitzwilliams, Director of Philanthropy, pose with a new friend at the summit. Fun fact: In places like the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Texas Gulf Coast, armadillos and endangered Whooping Cranes share coastal prairie habitats.

10/27/2026

Making plans to attend the Great Midwest Crane Fest in Baraboo, Wisconsin, on November 14 and 15?

Look for artwork and performances at both the International Crane Foundation and Aldo Leopold Foundation from "A Beak is a Bridge Between Field and Flyway," an artist-led initiative exploring bird migration, land use, and ecological interreliance, led by artist Austen Camille and the Wormfarm Institute

You will encounter artworks and performances by Amanda Leigh Evans and Tia Kramer of DeepTime Collective, Mark Menjívar, and Julia Blair. Scroll to learn more about the artists and events!

👉🏽 Learn more and register at greatmidwestcranefest.org

10/26/2026

👉🏽 Save your spot for this Wednesday's webinar: bit.ly/4jiRVG2

For more than 50 years, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been one of the nation's most effective tools for bringing wildlife back from the brink, and the Whooping Crane is among its clearest success stories. Now, sweeping changes under the Trump Administration are reshaping how the law works.
Join Hardy Kern, Director of Government Relations at American Bird Conservancy, and Dr. Andy Caven, Director of Central Flyway Programs at the International Crane Foundation, for a look at where the ESA stands today and what's at stake on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 3 p.m. Central Time.

Hardy will cover the policy landscape, including the administration's regulatory changes and the legal challenges now underway. Andy will then focus on a tangible consequence: the rescission of the ESA's regulatory definition of “harm,” which removed habitat destruction as a form of prohibited take. That change undermines the foundation of Habitat Conservation Plans and much of Section 10 of the Act, which have long brought private landowners and industry to the table to protect habitat. Andy will explain why this matters for the cranes that depend on wetlands and river habitat along the Central Flyway, and what conservationists can do next.

This webinar is brought to you by the International Crane Foundation and American Bird Conservancy

📸 Ciming Mei

10/24/2026

✨ Earlier this month, our China program staff, Shanghai Disney Resort team members—including fellow waterbird Donald Duck, of course—and the Jiangxi Provincial Forestry Bureau unveiled three new Siberian Crane sculptures taking flight over the resort's Wishing Star Park.

During the ceremony, we highlighted our 10-year partnership with the Disney Conservation Fund and shared the impressive results of our work to protect Critically Endangered Siberian Cranes and their habitats along the Eastern flyway.

📸 Shanghai Disney Resort

The International Crane Foundation provides critical news and resources in the world of Cranes and Conservation. Three Siberian Crane Sculptures Unveiled at Shanghai Disney Resort's Wishing Star Park

10/23/2026

If there’s one thing we know, it just takes hope. 💙💛 Cheering on the Milwaukee Brewers from our Global Headquarters in Wisconsin today. Go Crew!

10/23/2026

Making plans to attend the Great Midwest Crane Fest in Baraboo, Wisconsin, this November?

UW-Madison Division of Extension Volunteer Jennifer Lazewski will share fascinating facts about crane anatomy on Sunday, Nov. 15, from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

"Habitat Support for Birds: How to Create Bird Habitat at Home"

Wisconsin loves birds! Over 300 resident and migratory birds visit our state, besides Sandhill and Whooping Cranes, and we have been ranked #2 in the nation for birdwatching. You can increase the species and numbers of birds you see right out your door by adding native perennials, shrubs, and trees that provide birds with shelter, nesting, and food. Gardening for birds improves their habitat, provides a rest stop during migration, and helps with bird conservation. Learn how to expand your home habitat and become an even bigger supporter of birds.

Join us on Nov. 14 and 15 in Baraboo, Wis., to celebrate the natural wonders of the fall Sandhill Crane migration with a weekend filled with presentations, workshops, guided tours, and other special events.

Through this festival, we also invite you to explore the beautiful landscapes and the rich history that connects the festival hosts, the International Crane Foundation and Aldo Leopold Foundation.

Learn more and register at greatmidwestcranefest.org.