Sandhill Crane Stopover

Sandhill Crane Stopover

Sandhill cranes take time to enjoy a wetlands area during migration. (Full Size View recommended)

The Sandhill Crane has one of the longest fossil histories of any living bird. While a 10-million-year-old crane fossil from Nebraska is often cited as being of this species, it this is more likely from a prehistoric relative or the direct ancestor. The oldest unequivocal Sandhill Crane fossil is “just” 2.5 million years old which is more than 1½ times older than the earliest remains of any other living species of birds. Sandhill Cranes are the most abundant of the world’s cranes.

Sandhill cranes are distributed throughout North America, extending into Cuba and far northeastern Siberia. The three migratory subspecies (Lesser, Greater and Canadian) are distributed across a broad breeding range in the northern U.S. and Canada as well as eastern Siberia, with wintering grounds in the southern United States and northern Mexico. The three non-migratory subspecies (Mississippi, Cuban, and Florida) have restricted ranges in the southern United States and Cuba. Found in open fresh water wetlands, but the different subspecies utilize habitats that range from bogs, sedge meadows, and fens to open grasslands, pine savannas, and cultivated lands. Sandhill Cranes occur at their highest breeding density in habitats that contain open sedge meadows in wetlands that are adjacent to short vegetation in uplands. Approximately 80% of all Sandhill Cranes utilize a 75-mile stretch of the Platte River in spring migration.

Rendered in Vue 7I with no postwork using the artist Songbire ReMix models (for 3D applications). c2009 by Ken Gilliland

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