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Project Noah Nature School
Grus canadensis
A large, long-legged, long-necked, wading bird. Sandhills are gray (although during the breeding season they may "paint" themselves with mud to better blend in to their local environment) with a red patch of skin on their foreheads. Black legs and dark bill. The Greater subspecies--which is what this bird is--may be four feet tall. They have a loud bugling call that can be heard more than a mile away on a calm day.
Marshes but will feed in uplands.
Spotted on Nov 4, 2008
Submitted on May 16, 2011
20 Comments
Thanks Harsha.
Outstanding picture!
Thanks for the comments. Sandhills are beginning to stage here in preparation for their southward migration. Hoping to get some more shots soon.
Very beautiful photo!
Agree Gordon, and as with Christie, I've most definitely been stung by the bug too! I still have a way to go, but I could spend hours outside practicing..
I have only been dabbling in photography for about a year. I have definitely been stung by the bug! I love this art form.
Thank you both Elsa and Christie. I think that photography has an important role in not just documenting but also illustrating the beauty of this fascinating world. I shoot for both, but I'm particularly satisfied when they merge in the same photograph.
Beautiful photo!
Gordon your pictures are so inspirational!
Joseph, They are graceful flyers, but I have to laugh when watching them land as the cranes on the ground seem to be quite concerned about the incoming, clumsy approaches....grin.
Looks like a student pilot getting ready to land :) Great photo!
A wonderful picture! Thanks too for the story Gordan
Thanks, I was out photographing sandhills and not having much luck. A storm was moving in and I decided to drive home. As I rounded a bend on the dirt road three sandhills flushed from the roadside and began flying parallel to the road about 50 feet away. I quickly stopped the car and rolled down the window and shot three frames. This was the best of the three and is one of my all time favorite photos.
what a great shot!
Thats a brilliant photo!
Oh, what a stunning photo! Great capture, perfect timing!! Such elegant birds :)
Oh, what a stunning photo! Great capture, perfect timing!! Such elegant birds :)
It does resemble a brolga. I worked with cranes for a number of years, including both brolgas and sandhills. Fascinating family of birds!
beautiful bird , what a great picture
Love this photo!! This is a beautiful bird.. looks a lot like the Brolga here in Australia!