What are the primary components of the Whooping Crane's diet while wintering in Central Texas?

Blue crabs and clams

The feeding behavior and diet of the Whooping Crane are closely tied to its habitat during different times of the year. When the population migrates to its Central Texas wintering grounds, which often involve salt flats and shallow water areas, its primary food sources shift to specific invertebrates found in the soft mud. The diet in this location heavily relies on probing the substrate for blue crabs and clams. These long-legged birds utilize their substantial limbs to wade in shallow aquatic environments, using their stout bills to forage for these crustaceans. This specialized feeding strategy in the wintering areas highlights the physical adaptation of their long legs for wading as much as for terrestrial movement across fields.