Sandhill Stance

Grus Canadenis

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$50.00 plus framing.

25 x 20 on Archival Acid Free Paper

Limited Edition Print / 500

Sandhill Crane

Fossile records indicate that cranes were flying 54 million years ago during the Cenozoic Era, long before monkeys, apes, or humans appeared. Now, there are fourteen crane species existing worldwide. Two of them, the whooping crane and the sandhill crane, are found in North America. Although not as perilously close to extinction as the whooping crane, the sandhill cranes have dwindled as the prairies, fields and marshes disappear. Of the four sandhill subspecies, the non-migratory Florida crane is the most rare. This long-legged wader can grow to 45" in length with a rust-stained grey body and bare red crown. In flight, its long neck is extended, while its stilt-like legs trail and its wings intermittently glide. Sandhills exhibit the spectacular crane habit od "dancing", an activity which is practiced year-round, but is most predominant during courtship. In a dramatic exception to most acian courtship patterns, the females participate as avidly as the males. Wings half-open, they leap 6 to 8 feet in the air as they bounce, circle, skip, gracefully whirl, and bow. The monogamous sandhill mates for life and separates from the flock anly during the breeding season to build nests of aquatic vegetation. The incubation period for its two olive-buff eggs is about 30 days. The brownish downy chicks can run about shortly after hatching, and have been seen "dancing" when only a few days old. They are able to make short flights at two and a half months. Although 10 different calls have been identified, the most distinctive is a harsh vibrant trumpetlike "gar-00-000" which, like the honk of geese, can still be heard after the birds have flown out of sight. The trachea of the fully grown sandhill crane is lengthened and coiled upon itself, resembling a French horn. The resonant call emanates from this convoluted windpipe in the hollow keel of the breastbone.