Join us for the 17th North American Crane Workshop to be held at the Rockport Conference Center (ROCC) in Rockport, Texas, 7-10 December 2026! The workshop will include a welcome reception, two days of scientific presentations and plenaries, a closing banquet, and field trips to see Whooping Cranes by boat on The Skimmer and to learn about habitat management at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. We look forward to hearing from you about all aspects of crane conservation and research.

Registration and Abstract Submission are now open!

Conference registration can be found here. The Registration fee (Students-$150, All others-$300, plus a 2.5% transaction fee) includes lunches for all three days, a welcome social, a banquet meal on the last night, and the field trip, as well as 3 years of NACWG membership (2027-2030).

The description of presentation formats and the abstract submission portal can be found here. Please submit completed abstracts by 1 August 2026. Notification of abstract acceptance will occur no later than October 15th.

Hotel information:

Room accommodations are not included in the registration fee, but a block of rooms has been reserved at the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites - (1-hour walk from ROCC but 17-minute walk from Fulton Harbor meeting place for field trips). The group rate can be booked through this link. Additional hotels closer to the conference center include the Village Inn Motel, Blue Wave Inn, and Holiday Inn Express. Please contact the hotel directly to arrange your room accommodations.

Student Travel Awards:

The North American Crane Working Group is happy to provide funding for several student travel awards: up to four $500 awards are available. These awards aim to support and encourage the participation of students conducting crane research, whether at the graduate or undergraduate level. Details and application instructions can be found here.

Career Achievement Awards:

We are also offering three career achievement awards: the L. H. Walkinshaw Crane Conservation Award, the Paul J. Currier Habitat Conservation Award, and the George Archibald Special Achievement Award. Descriptions of each award and nomination requirements can be found here. Nominations should be submitted to the Awards Committee via email at nacwg.board@gmail.com and are open until 31 July 2026.

We are looking forward to an engaging and productive workshop!