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Sandhill Crane - Grus
canadensis |
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| Sandhill Cranes are tall birds with a heavy
body, long neck, and long legs. They are close to 4 feet in length
and have a wingspan approaching 6 feet. After molting their feathers
in late summer, their new fresh plumage is gray in color, except for white
cheeks and a bare reddish forehead. Sandhills frequently preen with
vegetation and mud stained with iron oxide. As a result, their gray
plumage gradually becomes rust colored.
There are six recognized subspecies of Sandhill
Cranes. The Greater, Lesser, and Canadian subspecies are all
migratory, with the Lesser and Canadian being the most abundant. The
Greater subspecies is found around the Great Lakes and southern
Canada. In the fall, the Greaters migrate to southeastern Georgia
and Florida. The other three subspecies are all southern and
non-migratory. The Florida subspecies is found in southern Georgia
and Florida. Thus, in Florida, during the winter, one may see both
the Greater and the Florida subspecies. The other two, the
Mississippi and Cuban, are not common and considered highly endangered.
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The Sandhill Crane is a very tall bird with long legs and a
long neck. It is mostly gray in color with a red forehead. Plumage
often appears rust-stained in summer. It frequents marshes and fields
where it feeds on insects, small animals, and grain. It is a year-round
resident in Florida.
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