I know it’s truly spring when I hear the bugling calls of Sandhill Cranes flying over my house. Sometimes I really have to squint to see them because they fly so high in the sky.
These beautiful birds have a wingspan of 6 to 7 feet. I usually spot them in area farm fields in spring and fall.
Sandhill Cranes dance during courtship. They stretch their wings and bow and leap as they call to one another. A pair of Sandhill Cranes mates for life and stays together year-round.
I took the above photo last week near Horicon Marsh which is both a national and state wildlife refuge located 66 miles northwest of Madison. Last spring an endangered Whooping Crane and a Sandhill Crane created buzz when they paired up at Horicon Marsh to create “Whoopsie”, a rare Sandhill/Whooping Crane hybrid.
People sometimes confuse Sandhill Cranes with Great Blue Herons. It’s easy to tell the difference when they are flying. The Great Blue Heron’s neck stays in an “S” shape in flight (similar to this sitting heron):
A Sandhill Crane flies with its neck long and straight:
