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Sandhill Crane Grus Canadensis

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Sandhill Crane

Appearance: - The Sandhill Crane is a large bird which has a light-grey plumage, although during the breeding season it can become stained with mud, a long neck, red forehead, white cheeks and chin, yellow eyes, long grey beak, and long dark-grey legs. Both sexes are alike.

Size: - Typical Adult is 80-120cm (32-47in).

Food: - Mostly grain, aquatic plants, berries, and seeds, also invertebrates, snails, amphibians, rodents, and insects.

Habitat/Range: - Wetlands, grasslands, marshes, bogs, and wet meadows in North America and north-eastern Siberia. Wintering further south in southern USA, Mexico, and Cuba.

Sandhill Crane Map
Breeding Habitat/Resident,    Migration or Winter Area.



Breeding Season: - April to August.

Eggs: - 2 (pale-buff with dark-brown markings).

Notes: - The Sandhill Crane has six sub-species: Lesser Sandhill Crane (Grus Canadensis Canadensis), Cuban Sandhill Crane (Grus Canadensis Nesiotes), Florida Sandhill Crane (Grus Canadensis Pratensis), Mississippi Sandhill Crane (Grus Canadensis Pulla), Canadian Sandhill Crane (Grus Canadensis Rowani), and Greater Sandhill Crane (Grus Canadensis Tabida). They are known for their many elaborate courtship displays. During the breeding season they preen their feathers with mud which gives their plumage a brownish colour.

Conservation status (IUCN 3.1):
  Least Concern.  

Classification: - Family: Gruidae,
Genus: Grus.


Wildfowl (Alphabetical order):
A-B    C-F    G-L    M-R    S-Z   





Photographs

Sandhill Crane
Sandhill Crane (Grus Canadensis) -






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