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Grus canadensis tabida
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.
Wetlands and upland meadows and agricultural fields.
Sandhill migration is just beginning in the upper Midwest and I'm seeing some flocking behavior of these normally territorial birds as they prepare for their southward migration. There are six different subspecies of sandhill cranes; this spotting is of the greater sandhill subspecies, which is the tallest and heaviest of all the sandhill subspecies. These particular birds were approaching a feeding area and so have their legs down and gliding in for a landing.
Spotted on Sep 8, 2011
Submitted on Sep 18, 2011
11 Comments
Ahhh...beautiful!
Thanks Dennis.
Super flight shot and spotting!
I will have to take a look at your photos!! Thanks for the information on these beautiful birds!
Sandhills are one of my favorite photo subjects. I've had several "spottings" of these birds that I've added in the past to my My Noah page. Very cool birds.
Thanks Gordon, Im going to watch for them this winter.
Excellent photo!
The sandhills are starting to gather on traditional staging grounds here in the upper Midwest now. They will loaf and relax here and the chicks will build wing strength during this time to prepare for their long southward migration. Unpaired adults may start to form pair bonds as well. Staging areas usually tend to contain high value foods and safe roosts and the birds are in no rush to start south until the marshes begin to freeze in early November, but I've always considered the move to staging areas as the first stage of migration.
I love this photo!! Did you say they are starting their migration now to the south?
Nice capture... Love to see such act of these giant birds...!!
Nice picture