Roosting Conditions
Sandhills like to roost in shallow water at night as it protects them from predators like coyotes. These habitats, open fields with shallow water, are increasingly scarce in the central valley which has become naught but an agricultural, mono-cultured wasteland. These birds will not roost in any other habitat so they are increasingly strapped for places to settle for the winter, like a World War 2 bomber in the Pacific that needs islands so it can refuel.
Get My Greater Side
Profile of a Greater Sandhill Crane. On the surface it's rather difficult to identify the difference between a Greater and Lesser Sandhill Crane but this image provides a good barometer. The beak of a Lesser Sandhill Crane shares the same length as its skull while the beak of the Greater Sandhill Crane has a beak that is noticeably longer than its skull.
Spread em'
I would have put this photo under the "Dancing" subfolder but since it isn't actually airborne I chose to keep it here. This was very early in the morning so the lighting was very scant, it still shows how massive their wingspans is however.
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Ambiance
Ordinarily I try to keep anything manmade or associated with humans out of my photos but I feel that the barbed-wire fence and the livestock in the background of this one helps better illustrate the kinds of fields the cranes love to frequent.
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Banded
I came across this individual crane at Staten Island Road one morning and took down the number on the band it wore. I sent the information and this photo to one of the men in charge of keeping track of banded birds. He told me this one was banded as an unfledged chick in Modoc county in 2010. It's nice to see that it's fledged now, and then some!
