Here are the specific types of plants that whooping cranes eat:
1.Cordgrasses (Spartina spp.):
- Whooping cranes feed extensively on cordgrasses, particularly saltmarsh cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) and gulf cordgrass (Spartina spartinae).
- These grasses thrive in coastal areas and salt marshes, providing important foraging sites for the birds.
2. Sea Oats (Uniola paniculata):
- Whooping cranes also consume sea oats, a plant species commonly found in coastal dunes.
- Sea oats offer a source of seeds during the winter when other food resources may be scarce.
3. Wild Rice (Zizania aquatica):
- In shallow wetlands and marshes, whooping cranes target wild rice.
- Wild rice is a tall grass that produces nutritious grains relished by the birds.
4. Bulrushes (Scirpus spp.):
- Bulrushes are common plants in marshes, and whooping cranes feed on their seeds, rhizomes, and shoots.
- These plants are crucial during migration when food availability may be limited.
5. Arrowheads (Sagittaria spp.):
- Arrowheads, also known as duck potatoes, offer both tubers and seeds for whooping cranes.
- These aquatic plants grow in marshes and provide the birds with a valuable food source.
6. Pondweeds (Potamogeton spp.):
- Pondweeds, submerged aquatic plants, are part of the whooping cranes' diet.
- They consume the seeds, leaves, and stems of pondweeds, making use of these abundant plants in their wetland habitat.
It is important to note that the specific plant species consumed by whooping cranes can vary depending on the availability and accessibility of food resources in their habitats.