Sandhill Cranes

[DLeeT]

I live on one of the major flyways of the Sandhill Cranes and nearby is one of their "rest stops" on their annual migration. It is not unusual to see hundreds of them in the sky during their migration; they are high fliers (usually 3-5000 feet) and travel about 350 miles per day. They are fascinating birds. They are one of the oldest -- if not the oldest -- species of living birds. The oldest unequivocal Sandhill Crane fossil is 2.5 million years old, over one and a half times older than the earliest remains of most living species of birds. They are big -- wing spans to 6 feet. They are rather unique in that they love to dance! They mate for life (as opposed to most of us humans!), partners chosen in dancing ritual. Due to the anatomy of their trachea, their song as they fly is an unforgettably haunting chortle that is a sure harbinger of Spring and Autumn.

C&C welcome, but please keep in mind I already know they are not as sharp as one would like -- these guys do not like people and they will even avoid you when flying so you can never get close enough. But I suppose that is the lament of all critter shooters!


Here is a link with more info and it includes an audio clip of their strange "song."

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/sandhill-crane/

The below is a "crop." It is not unusual to see hundreds in the sky at once.





The two shots below are typical landing behavior. They almost seem to pride themselves on not flapping their wings in the last 30 feet or so before landing:


Gear down, full flaps!:


Singing a duet -- the other two birds do not seem impressed:


Below is a typical dance - a video would be better!


Thanks for viewing. Lee

 

[SCraig]

They are very interesting birds. I've been to the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in east Tennessee a couple of times in early spring to photograph them. Their song is must definitely unique, and once heard is never confused with any other bird

Very nice shots. Thanks for posting them.

 

[baturn]

Yes, very interesting. Thanks for sharing the photos and the info.

 

[sm4him]

I missed this thread when it was originally posted. Thanks for sharing--Sandhill Cranes are so fascinating and fun to watch! I enjoyed your commentary as much as the photos.

I live reasonably close (90-minute drive) to one of the big wintering spots for the sandhills, Hiwassee Refuge in Dayton, TN. I've been there twice with SCraig and several other times alone or with others to watch these beautiful birds and it never gets old.
But we only get them for a few months out of the year, so it's nice to see photos of them in their spring/summer homes!

 

[BillM]

Nice shots, the only time i've ever seen one is in a zoo.

 

[bjerk]

Nice shots. I live in Wisconsin and the first time I saw Sandhill Cranes was at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, long before I bought my DSLR. It's been a long time since I've been there and had pretty much forgotten about what a great place it is to bird watch. Your Sandhill Crane pictures have totally reminded me of this great spot, thank you for posting them. I am now inspired and can't wait to get out there this spring and take some photos of whatever birds happen to be there at the time. The website says it is home to over 270 species of birds.