Sandhill cranes nest in the wetlands of the Northwest Territories before beginning their trek south for the winter.
Mated pairs of sandhill cranes stay together year round, and migrate south as a group with their offspring. Both males and females incubate the eggs. Their calls are unique — they give loud, rattling bugle calls, each lasting a couple of seconds and often strung together — and can be heard up to 2.5 miles away.
These cranes have a large wingspan, typically 1.65 to 2.29 m (5 ft 5 in to 7 ft 6 in), which make them very skilled soaring birds, similar in style to hawks and eagles.
Listen to their unique calls here…
The Sandhills
The language of cranes
we once were told
is the wind. The wind
is their method,
their current, the translated story
of life they write across the sky…
Linda Hogan
Images are from my August trip to Canada’s North, (above the 60th parallel) — the spectacular Northwest Territories…
Sherrygaley.com 