As the Corps of Discovery traveled along the Columbia, Clark spotted graceful white cranes soaring high above that were most likely whooping cranes. Wilderness-loving birds with little tolerance for humans, the whooping crane was on the decline even in the mid-19th century. After reaching a low of 21 in 1948, the cranes are starting to rebound. The bulk of the current population of birds summers in northern Canada and winters in Texas, relying on the wetlands of the Great Plains as rest stops on their long migration. These wetlands need to be protected from drainage and water pollution, and roosting areas along the Platte River need restoration.

Federally endangered.