They look as if they're one small step on the evolutionary scale above pterodactyls. Really, a pretty advanced bird. Most everyone appreciates their unique loud breeding call in the spring. Nothing like it. I had the opportunity to get to know these birds in Alaska where we trapped them with cannon nets, banded them, took blood, measured, and released.


Sometimes, when they are released, they stick around and peck at you. Their beaks are sharp and knife-like. They are not pleasant birds to pet.



This bird has already been banded. The researchers are getting a blood sample.



Here, the birds are bagged and awaiting their turn. Note the cannon net laid out on the left.



Some adult birds in flight. Nice signal of spring; really fun to hunt in the fall.



Here is a pond in Idaho with a nest, the adults raising a set of new colts.



This is a fairly common sight in the valleys of Idaho. A greater sandhill crane catching voles and grasshoppers.

Great pics, thanks for sharing.

That is pretty interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Gulo, we have a pair in our yard off and on all summer every year but I have never seen them with any young ones. Do they reach an age where they no longer nest?

I've had a nesting pair on my south 80 for 20 years,always wondered if they were the same family unit every 6-10 years.They talk about swans as the ugliest duckling,young of the sand hill crane's have them beat all day long,they look like Big Bird with fuzzy rust brown long fuzz,before they get their feathers and those legs look way to big for them.The adults are very protective parents as i was trying to get closer pictures of their chic.They have a hunting season 28 miles west of my place,but i haven't hunted for them yet,they say the younger ones are Ribeye of the sky,just like Speckle belly geese,White fronted geese.Thank's for the share Jack.

We were camping in Pinery provincial park on the shore of Lake Huron for Canadian Thanksgiving. I heard the distinctive call of migrating sandhills and announced that some should be flying overhead shortly.
The folks I was with were stunned when a flock of about 3 dozen flew low above the trees, right over our campsite. They couldn't believe how big they were, and that I knew what they were long before they passed overhead. Nobody had any idea what they even were and I had to explain about their (the crane's) near extinction and remarkable comeback story thanks to concerned hunters and conservationists.

It makes me happy to see them knowing they were almost gone forever. We are supposed to be getting a season on them here in a specific part of Ontario and it would be cool to have an opportunity to take one for the dinner table.

Really Great Thread

Very neat info, Jack. Great shots, as always.

Cool birds! Utah has a limited hunt where you can draw a tag maybe every 4-5 years. I've enjoyed hunting them and eating them.

https://youtu.be/IaEX6opI04o

mating dance

Cool video Ryan!

Ribeye in the sky

They are odd, somewhat comical birds. I've only gotten to see em a few times when I go north for conventions.

Last sighting I had was during the last escanaba nta. Was in my kayak near the rapid river in boat launch an heard a on racket. Looked over and racing down the peninsula or island there and there were 3 of the things being chased by a dog.

Do they loose flight feathers in the summer like geese or were they just not that worried about the dog to fly?

We have had a pair nest out in the marsh on my place for many years (one pair 20+ yrs, another 30+!) . They are cool birds. They come up to my front porch and beg shelled corn from me. If I am busy, they will walk over to a side window where my desk is and stare in at me from a few feet away until I get up and toss the corn to them. The main pair have been shuffled a little......a mate dies and is replaced, etc. I really enjoy them. Before my Bride passed away, the cranes returning from wherever
they wintered was the highlight of our spring.

Neat bird, but very destructive to farm fields. Just like anything, they need managed and Michigan could stand to have a season on them. Politics wont allow that. I enjoy a crop damage permit from one of our big dairies that allows for the take of 30 of them. Keeps me 'hunting' in the spring and summer months....

Fellows that I worked with ,got a job to survey the greater sandhill's in Manitoba for consideration on Whooper release site. Wisc won out in the long run.
When you can find cranes in Oct here that are feeding in corn fields......you have found some of the best tasting waterfowl.

I used to hunt cranes hard. I had over a 100 cranes shot over my decoys a lot of years. It is a lot of driving scouting and setting up the next morning. I have seen whooping cranes mixed with the sand hills several times. I have pass shot them in my yard. I have been hearing them for a month now going past.

Great post!

Nice post Gul I have only ever seen them in my area in PA 2 or perhaps 3 times But it is always fun to learn new facts about the world we live in The best thing about the natural world is we can always say we have not seen it all That means something worth while mya be just seconds away for entertaining us Thanks for a nature lesson on the crane I bet they would be fun to hunt .

My earliest memories of cranes was from Northeastern Montana each Sunday after church we'd go to either my aunt and uncle's place west of town or the other aunt and uncle's place north of town where at times the flocks of cranes were large enough to drown out the sound of the cars motor , we'd pull over and watch the spectacle of the migration at times it seemed to block out the sun .

It's been many years since I've witnessed this but I've shared this story with my grandkids and they enjoy it ?

The ducks and geese flocks were impressive also .

I miss the sights and sounds of those days .