A crane fossil approximately ten million years old was found in Nebraska and is structurally identical to the modern Sandhill Crane, making it the oldest known bird species still surviving.
Some other interesting facts about Sandhill Cranes from whatbird.com:
- Sandhill Cranes are noted for their elaborate courtship displays. Two displays are used to form mating pairs while three other displays occur only between mates and serve to maintain the pair bond.
- They frequently preen with vegetation and mud stained with iron oxide resulting in a reddish-brown color rather than their natural gray.
- A group of cranes has many collective nouns, including a “construction”, “dance”, “sedge”, “siege”, and “swoop” of cranes.
December 21, 2010 at 6:07 am
It’s good to see our Sandhill friends again in your photos. We often see them in the fields and then flying once we get to close on our rides. Love to watch and hear them.
Tell them “Hi” from Wisconsin, and that we can’t wait to see them back again next Spring. 🙂
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December 21, 2010 at 8:27 am
“too” close, not “to” close. Guess it was too earlier this morning to type!
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December 21, 2010 at 6:50 am
So beautiful! They are usually a couple hundred feet up when they pass through here. I’m glad you get to see them close up.
The top shot is wonderful!
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December 21, 2010 at 7:28 am
Great shots. You should submit the bottom one to whatbird.com for their collection – seriously.
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December 21, 2010 at 8:02 am
Wow – I guess that courtship ritual of theirs is really working!
Beautiful pictures of them in full stretch flight!
I used to live near a place with a sanctuary for them. They are so lovely as they make their way across the sky.
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December 21, 2010 at 8:38 am
No wonder they look so prehistoric. I really like learning the collective nouns. Beautiful photos.
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December 21, 2010 at 8:48 am
Fascinating. I learned something new today! Great pics.
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December 21, 2010 at 10:30 am
Truly awesome photos.
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December 21, 2010 at 3:00 pm
I love reading your blog, I learn something new more often than not.
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December 21, 2010 at 3:03 pm
Nice pics! Love the way all the “finger” feathers are so nice and crisp! Good work. 🙂
Fascinating, about the age of cranekind! I had no idea they were so old…..
When my better half took me to the golf course to see the cranes, a couple of years ago, some members of one family were reddish brown, and some were white and gray. I assumed it was a maturity thing, until I read about the staining from the earth….. But what I read then said nothing about them being ancient.
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December 21, 2010 at 4:37 pm
A fascinating post – thank you!!!
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December 21, 2010 at 5:55 pm
Oh man, you’re killing me. Love the sandhills, but they just don’t come this way in NE Kansas. Although, we did see 1 of them with a flock of Canada Geese on Sunday. He must have been lost. Harland said it was only the 2nd one he’s ever seen here in his life.
Suzanne
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December 22, 2010 at 12:05 pm
Stunning photos, Justina!
How lucky you are to see these beautiful birds personally!
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