Whooping Crane Animation with Cornell
Standing five feet tall and angel white, Whooping Cranes are the tallest birds in North America and the rarest crane species in the world. Once widespread throughout the Great Plains, the last wild migratory flock plummeted to 15 birds in the 1940s. Today, their number has climbed to some 540 birds, thanks to the conservation work by many. However, in a world inundated with urban development, habitat loss, water quality and quantity issues, and climate change–much is at stake.
Over five years, photographer and writer Mike Forsberg, working alongside researchers, documented the lives of this last wild population of whooping cranes. In the spring of 2022, he followed the birds on their migration north.
This six-minute narrative animation uses cutting-edge science and telemetry data to follow that migration through the lens of one family's remarkable and poignant journey of 37 days and 2,500 miles up the heart of the continent, connecting critical wetland and grassland habitats along the way.
This video was produced by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, in partnership with Mike Forsberg, the members of the Whooping Crane Tracking Partnership in the US and Canada, and Platte Basin Timelapse. Animation created by 422 South.
Into Whooperland Presentation + Book Signing
Mike presents his talk, Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, on June 6, 2025, at 7:00 PM MT at the WYO Theater in Sheridan, Wyoming. A book signing follows his presentation. This event is sponsored by Brinton & Bighorn Audubon and is free to the public.
More details can be found here: https://www.wyotheater.com/event/michael-forsberg-into-whooperland
Gold Medal 2025 IPPY Awards
We’re thrilled to share that Mike’s recent book, Into Whooperland, has been awarded the Gold Medal in the Nature category at the 2025 Independent Publisher Book Awards.
The Nature Conservancy Book Review
Jennifer Winger wrote a review of Mike’s latest book, Into Whooperland, in The Nature Conservancy’s Issue 2 of their 2025 magazine.
Into Whooperland Presentation + Book Signing
Mike presents his talk, Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, on May 17, 2025, at the Tri-State Birding Conference in South Dakota.
Under the Wire - Film Screening + Panel Discussion
Mike, Mariah Lundgren, and Benjy Duke attend a screening of their film, Under the Wire, and lead a panel discussion at the Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival in Cottonwood, Arizona on April 24, 2025.
More details about the festival found here: https://verderiver.org/events/verde-valley-birding-and-nature-festival-2025/
The Photo Society Presentation
Mike presents his talk, Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, on April 15, 2025, at 12:00 PM ET for The Photo Society’s online TPS Presents series.
More details can be found here: https://thephotosociety.org/tps-presents-michael-forsberg/
Into Whooperland Presentation
Mike presents his talk, Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, as the Keynote speaker on April 9, 2025, at 11:45 AM at the Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center in Lincoln, Nebraska for the Wild Great Plains conference.
More details can be found here: https://plains.unl.edu/events-conferences/2025-conference-wild-great-plains/
Into Whooperland Presentation + Book Signing
Mike presents his talk, Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, on April 4, 2025, at 8:30 AM at the Funk School Community Center in Funk, Nebraska for their Crepes and Cranes event. A book signing follows his presentation.
More details can be found here: https://visitnebraska.com/holdrege/events/crepes-cranes-aka-pancake-feed
Into Whooperland Presentation + Book Signing
Mike presents his talk, Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, on April 3, 2025, at 7:00 PM at Kaneko in Omaha. A book signing follows his presentation from 8:30 – 9:00 PM.
More details can be found here: https://thekaneko.org/programs/into-whooperland-a-photographers-journey-with-whooping-cranes/
Into Whooperland Presentation + Book Signing
Mike presents his talk, Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, on March 29, 2025, from 1:00 – 3:30 PM at the Younes North Conference space in Kearney, Nebraska, for Rowe Sanctuary’s 50th Anniversary celebration. A book signing will precede the presentation and is from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM at this location 44450 Elm Island Road, Gibbon, 68840, NE.
More details about the presentation and registration can be found here: https://rowe.audubon.org/events/rowes-50th-anniversary-celebration-receptions-and-program
More details about the book signing can be found here: https://rowe.audubon.org/events/book-signing-whooperland-michael-forsberg
Into Whooperland Presentation
Mike presents his talk, Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, on March 16, 2025, at 2:00 PM at the Crane Trust for their March Speaker Series.
More details can be found here: https://www.cranetrust.org/event/march-speaker-series-into-whooperland-with-michael-forsberg/
Into Whooperland Presentation
Mike presents his talk, Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, on March 13, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the Unitarian Church in Lincoln, Nebraska for Wachiska Audubon’s meeting.
More details can be found here: https://www.wachiskaaudubon.org/
Into Whooperland Presentation + Book Signing
Mike presents his talk, Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, on February 21, 2025, from 6:00 – 7:30 PM at the Port Aransas Community Theatre. A book signing follows his presentation on February 22, 2025, from 1:00 – 2:00 PM.
More details can be found here: https://www.portaransas.org/whooping-crane-festival/
Into Whooperland Presentation
Mike presents his talk, Into Whooperland, at the International Crane Foundation’s Wetland Coffee Break series on Friday, January 31, 2025 from 10:15am - 11:15am (CST).
The Wetland Coffee Break series helps keep ICF’s community of wetland lovers connected and learning about wetlands throughout the year, from anywhere! Bring your coffee and learn about wetlands, the plants and animals that call them home, and the many natural benefits they provide to our communities. Sessions are held on Zoom and feature time for audience Q&A.
Into Whooperland Book Signing
On December 15, 2024, from 11 AM to 2 PM CT, Mike signs copies of his new book, Into Whooperland, at the Wild Bird Habitat Store’s South Lincoln Location. Alamo Plaza, 56th & Hwy 2 / Lincoln, NE
Into Whooperland Book Signing
Mike sells and signs his new book, Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, on December 8 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at Chapter Books and Gifts in Seward, Nebraska.
Into Whooperland Presentation
Mike presents his talk, Into Whooperland: A Photographer’s Journey with Whooping Cranes, on November 18, 2024, from 3:30 – 4:30 PM at UNL’s Hardin Hall. This event is free and open to the public.
Since 1995, the Center for Grassland Studies has offered a seminar series during the first semester of the school year. The CGS Fall Seminar Series features guest lecturers from on and off campus. Seminars will occur on Mondays during the fall semester from 3:30 to 4:30 PM CT at the Hardin Hall Auditorium on East Campus.
Cranes, Plains, and a Watershed Presentation
https://www.travelks.com/event/national-geographic-photographer-michael-forsberg/32965/
On Saturday, November 16, at 2:00 PM, Mike presents his talk Cranes, Plains, and a Watershed at the Birger Sandzen Memorial Gallery in Lindsborg, Kansas. A book signing follows the presentation.
