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Project Noah Nature School
Grus canadensis
The greater sandhill crane stands about 1.2 meters (3.75 feet) tall with some variation. The bird is generally gray with a red patch of scaly skin on the forehead, dark gray legs and bill. Breeding adults often smear mud into their feathers, however, turning their normally gray plumage a rusty brown, as the adult has in this photo. Chicks, also called "colts", are naturally rusty brown for camouflage purposes.
Wetlands, but often venture into uplands to feed.
Spotted on Jun 22, 2009
Submitted on Aug 16, 2012
26 Comments (1–25)
These things walk down my street sometimes. The edge of my backyard is also the edge of a forest, and there is no fence.
Funny!
these things are everywhere down here. i wonder how they taste...
Congratulations, Gordon. Besides its quality, this is the kind of picture that touches a soft spot inside us. Well done and well deserved SOTD.
Congrats! great spotting
Beautiful picture; the sandhill crane is beautiful and the chick following the adult is a very sweet image we get to see around a lot. Nice perspective; and probably the chick still needed some extra help in order to cross the road safely... Congratulations! =)
Congrats on your SOTD award Gordon.
Congrats Gordon, fantastic picture!
Lovely shot! Congratulations!
Well, thank you Yasser and everyone for all your kind comments. Nature is a complex place full of wonders and I enjoy seeing the marvelous plant and animal life from around the world right here on Project Noah. I also enjoy sharing my insights and the wildlife I encounter with all of you. The one great truism that I've found--and it is by no means a unique view--is that the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know. That's exciting as it implies our futures are full of the promise of both adventure and discovery.
pretty cool...
Congrats!
Aww that little chick is just too cute <3
Congratulations Gordon on your SOTD! What a beautiful shot!
Love this! Yesterday we saw a pair of Sandhill Cranes on the dike in Pitt Polder. Sadly, they flew when they saw us, but I was thrilled to sit and listen to them calling as they flew across the road and out over the wetlands. Just so great to know that they are still coming here in spite of all the development of the wetlands into cranberry and blueberry fields....Every year I wonder if they will come back again.
Awesome .. Cngrts Gordon Dietzman.
Congratulations Gordon. Touching picture
Great spot! Congratulations Gordon!
Congratulations Gordon !!!
Fantastic spotting! Congratulations on the SOTD!
Cool...
Nice photo :D
Congratulations for your SOTD !!
Congratulations, Gordon!
Congrats for the SOTD Gordon..!