Sandhill Crane pair
"The remarkable dancing of sandhill cranes is systemic, contagious, addictive, and enthusiastic. Long intricate displays frequently involve the circling of one crane around a stationary partner or the mutual rotation of both partners. Although the dancing is most common in the breeding season, sandhill cranes can engage in their spontaneous dance displays throughout the entire year. The sequences of coordinated dance steps are often seen at summer nesting territories, but are also seen more rarely at roosting and staging sites.
Courting cranes are magnificent as they stretch their wings, pump their heads, bow, and leap into the air in a graceful and energetic dance. Successfully paired sandhill cranes are strictly monogamous and typically mate for life. Juvenile sandhill cranes begin to select their mates between the age of two and five years of age, and remain paired for decades. Because of the stability of their lifelong relationship and its benefits, sandhill cranes are long-lived and commonly survive 20 or more years in the wild"...
from the Michigan Songbird Protection Coalition.
The spring migration is now underway. Flagstaff County, Alberta.
Sandhill Crane pair
"The remarkable dancing of sandhill cranes is systemic, contagious, addictive, and enthusiastic. Long intricate displays frequently involve the circling of one crane around a stationary partner or the mutual rotation of both partners. Although the dancing is most common in the breeding season, sandhill cranes can engage in their spontaneous dance displays throughout the entire year. The sequences of coordinated dance steps are often seen at summer nesting territories, but are also seen more rarely at roosting and staging sites.
Courting cranes are magnificent as they stretch their wings, pump their heads, bow, and leap into the air in a graceful and energetic dance. Successfully paired sandhill cranes are strictly monogamous and typically mate for life. Juvenile sandhill cranes begin to select their mates between the age of two and five years of age, and remain paired for decades. Because of the stability of their lifelong relationship and its benefits, sandhill cranes are long-lived and commonly survive 20 or more years in the wild"...
from the Michigan Songbird Protection Coalition.
The spring migration is now underway. Flagstaff County, Alberta.