Sandhill Crane is a photograph by Elizabeth Winter which was uploaded on May 10th, 2014.
Sandhill Crane
He sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) is a species of large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird... more
Title
Sandhill Crane
Artist
Elizabeth Winter
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
he sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) is a species of large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills on the American Plains. This is the most important stopover area for the nominotypical subspecies, the lesser sandhill crane (Grus canadensis canadensis), with up to 450,000 of these birds migrating through annually.
Sandhill cranes are fairly social birds that usually live in pairs or family groups through the year. During migration and winter, non-related cranes come together to form "survival groups" which forage and roost together. Such groups often congregate at migration and winter sites, sometimes in the thousands.
Sandhill cranes are mainly herbivorous, but eat various types of food, depending on availability. They often feed with their bills down to the ground as they root around for seeds and other foods, in shallow wetlands with vegetation or various upland habitats. Cranes readily eat cultivated foods such as corn, wheat and sorghum. Waste corn is useful to cranes preparing for migration, providing them with nutrients for the long journey.[16] Among northern races of sandhill cranes, the diet is most varied, especially among breeding birds. They variously feed on berries, small mammals, insects, snails, reptiles and amphibians.
Sandhill cranes raise one brood per year. In non-migratory populations, laying begins between December and August. In migratory populations, laying usually begins in April or May. Both members of a breeding pair build the nest using plant material from the surrounding area. Nest sites are usually marshes, bogs or swales, though occasionally on dry land. Females lay one to three (usually two) oval, dull brown eggs with reddish markings. Both parents incubate the eggs for about 30 days. The chicks are precocial; they hatch covered in down, with their eyes open and able to leave the nest within a day. The parents brood the chicks for up to three weeks after hatching, feeding them intensively for the first few weeks, then gradually less frequently until they reach independence at nine or ten months old.
The chicks remain with their parents until one or two months before the parents lay the next clutch of eggs. After leaving their parents, the chicks form nomadic flocks with other juveniles and non-breeders. They remain in these flocks until they form breeding pairs at between two and seven years old.
Uploaded
May 10th, 2014
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Comments (84)
Morris Finkelstein
Beautiful close up photo of a Sandhill Crane, with great colors, light, clarity, wildflowers, and composition, Elizabeth! F/L
Laura D Young
I love your cranes in their natural habitat. This has such wonderful detail and is so beautifully framed by the flowers. Great work!
Alan L Graham
Looks like the crane posed for you.....great wildlife portrait in colorful surroundings! L&F