Sandhill Crane
Photographs for this post were taken at Celery Fields Refuge in Florida.
The Sandhill Crane is a species of large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Nebraska’s Sandhills in the American Midwest.
Sandhill Crane
Adults are gray overall; during breeding, the plumage is usually much worn and stained, particularly in the migratory populations, and looks nearly ochre. The Sandhill Crane has a red forehead, white cheeks and a long dark pointed bill. Its long dark legs trail behind in flight, and the long neck is kept straight in flight. Immature birds have reddish brown upper-parts and gray under-parts. The sexes look alike.
This crane frequently gives a loud trumpeting call that can be heard from a long distance.
The sandhill crane’s large wingspan makes this a very skilled soaring bird similar in style to hawks and eagles. Utilizing thermals to obtain lift, they can stay aloft for many hours, requiring only occasional flapping of their wings and consequently expending little energy.
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Text and photographs © H.J. Ruiz – Avian 101
H.J. Ruiz - Avian101 
I marvel at these cranes when I see them fly through northern Illinois on their spring migration. If anyone is looking for a good summer read with these amazing creatures and their legendary migration through Nebraska on the Platt River as a backdrop, I highly recommend The Echo Maker by Richard Powers. Thanks for posting these photos!
Thank you very much for the information Annie! 🙂