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Sandhill Cranes are similar in plumage across their range, but they vary in size. “Lesser” Sandhill Cranes breed in the Arctic and are the smallest; the largest form (“Greater” Sandhill Crane) breeds in the northern U.S. The nonmigratory “Florida” Sandhill Crane and a form that breeds in central Canada are intermediate in size.

Sandhill Cranes 1413 - 829

A single Sandhill Crane flies in to Creamer's Field to take part in the annual Crane Festival, probably without a ticket as usual. What to do?

Taken 22 August 2021 at Creamer's Field, Fairbanks, Alaska.

Florida Sandhill Crane. Florida sandhill cranes inhabit freshwater marshes, prairies, and pastures (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001). They occur throughout peninsular Florida north to the Okefenokee Swamp in southern Georgia; however, they are less common at the northernmost and southernmost portions of this range. Florida’s Kissimmee and Desoto prairie regions are home to the state’s most abundant populations (Meine and Archibald 1996). MyFWC

Sandhill Cranes jump in a western Oregon field.

George C. Reifel

Migratory Bird Sanctuary , Ladner BC.

www.reifelbirdsanctuary.com/index.html

One of the great thrills in watching Sandhill Cranes as they migrate is when they arrive in great flocks, uttering their raucous cries as they descend from the skies in large numbers. It's just spectacular!

Taken 25 August 2019 at Creamers Field, Fairbanks, Alaska.

Passer un moment à photographier ces oiseaux est toujours un pur bonheur.

Spending a moment to photograph these birds is always pure happiness.

It was fun to try to capture some silhouettes of the cranes as they came in to roost around sunset with the sky ever-changing its hues.

Bosque del Apache, N.M. 12/13/2019.

The crane parents flew across the canal and the colt tried to follow them. The baby appeared to be struggling so the parents flew back across the canal. The baby was able to climb on lily pads and work its way back to shore.

Thanks so much for the visit!

Found the coyote stalking the crane and then he seen me and ran away. Maybe it was the cranes lucky day that I came along. Athabasca county Alberta.

Cranes flying through an Oregon sky.

This Sandhill Crane was flying over Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.

These Sandhill Cranes are coming into a field nearby so we see more wing positions. Normally they fly 300-400 miles per day and follow the wind currents at an altitude of 3-5000 ft above ground. Using the tailwinds there is not as much need to constantly flap but do so when coming down or climbing up – they are like other fowl using the wings to control the flight.

I have so many pics of sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis formerly Grus canadensis - Gruidae), but I get excited every time I see them.

This young one I found at Uihlein Waterfowl Production Area just south of Waukau, Winnebago County, Wisconsin.

Leopold Wetland Management District

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

AP212089m

Adult sandhill cranes appear uniformly silver-gray from a distance, but they have some variations. The rear of their crown and nape are darker slaty gray, and their backs, wings, and shoulders are darker than their necks and bellies.

Palermo, Sicily

(Grus canadensis) Sandhill Cranes are known for their dancing skills. Courting cranes stretch their wings, pump their heads, bow, and leap into the air in a graceful and energetic dance. This one was tossing a leaf continually into the air - presumably to impress the female.

Interesting Facts:

Although some start breeding at two years of age, Sandhill Cranes may reach the age of seven before breeding. They mate for life—which can mean two decades or more—and stay with their mates year-round. Juveniles stick close by their parents for 9 or 10 months after hatching.

The earliest Sandhill Crane fossil, estimated to be 2.5 million years old, was unearthed in the Macasphalt Shell Pit in Florida.

Sandhill Crane chicks can leave the nest within 8 hours of hatching, and are even capable of swimming.

The oldest Sandhill Crane on record was at least 36 years, 7 months old. Originally banded in Wyoming in 1973, it was found in New Mexico in 2010.

A friend gave me directions to where a few hundred Sandhill Cranes were gathering as they migrate South. They were a bit distant for photos but it was amazing to hear them vocalize. Some even did dance moves 😊

Seeing the Sandhill Cranes at Bosque del Apache in New Mexico was high on my bucket list. So, I marked it off in November 2017.

Sand cranes "dance" near Kearney, Ne during the annual migration north.

Crane reflected in windows

The sandhill crane is a species of large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird refers to their habitat such as the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills on the American Great Plains. Sandhill cranes are known to frequent the edges of bodies of water. Wikipedia

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Sony ILCE-7RM5

Messing around with the clouds (but only the colours and contrast)

The Black Sea, Novorossiysk.

Cranes in the sunset. I might have hundreds (if not thousands) of pictures like these. Since these pictures, to me, do not provoke the same reaction as the experience while taking them, I probably did not succeed in doing these moments justice. ButI figured I might as well post them anyway, since I like them as a memory.

Sand cranes near the Big Salt Marsh at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Stafford County, Ks.

Sandhill Cranes are so interesting to watch. Looks like they have their own following as well. Did a little pano merging, it is a little flawed if you look closely.

Got to Burnaby Lake to see the Sandhill Crane pair and their colt. The youngster seemed to have what I can only describe as an open mouthed cough. Though he was feeding and exploring it seems a concern, hopefully it passes,

Eurasian Cranes autumn migration and the construction cranes in background

Cranes are changing Philadelphia's skyline

Coal crane at Peenemünde power plant

Manufacturer probably MAN

Year of construction around 1940

This little group of sandhill cranes was part of a larger flock, or sedge, of several hundred in a farm field on the edge of White River Marsh State Wildlife Area west of Berlin, Green Lake County, Wisconsin. I think that most of the cranes are now gone.

NO409172

Sandhill cranes are one of the oldest bird species, with fossils dating back at least 2.5 million years. Some scientists speculate they may be up to six million years old.