Today's featured feathered friend is the Sandhill Crane. This morning while putting out the feeders, a pair of Sandhills were foraging in our front yard. Eventually they "walked" away, right down the middle of the street. This pair (and maybe others) can be seen daily roaming around the neighborhood. Their "trumpeting" call can be heard from very far away.
Sandhill Cranes are large birds with long necks and legs. They are pale gray, sometimes with a reddish wash. They have a red crown with white cheeks and a thick tuft of feathers over the rump. Males and females are similar in appearance. In breeding pairs, males are noticeably larger than females. Juveniles are cinnamon brown, changing to gray as they mature.
Of the fifteen crane species in the world, only three can be found in North American. The Sandhill, the Common Crane and the endangered Whooping Crane. The Sandhill is by far the most abundant and the smallest of the three. There are six subspecies of Sandhill Cranes, some of which are threatened or endangered. Sizes can vary within the subspecies but generally, Sandhills are 41 to 48 inches in length, weighing 7 to 11 pounds, with a wingspan of up to 6 1/2 feet.
Check out either of the links provided below for much more information on this fascinating bird. Enjoy the photos of the graceful and elegant Sandhill Crane.....tweet.....tweet!!
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandhill_Crane/id
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| Sandhill Cranes (Family out foraging for food) (Taken 3/2/12, Englewood FL) |
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| Trumpeting (Taken 10/1/11, Wesley Chapel FL) |
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| Close-Up (Taken 8/23/12, Englewood FL) |
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandhill_Crane/id
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandhill_Crane#Subspecies_and_evolution
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