Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)

Music of a Tundra Lake

July 1, 2022 Many of the waterbirds that winter along the coasts of the Lower 48 spend their summers breeding on tundra ponds and lakes. Loons, grebes, scoters and others call throughout the long summer days. Together, their voices create a symphony that evokes the Arctic north.

Leaping with Sandhill Cranes

February 26, 2022 With a graceful leap, wings outstretched, Sandhill Cranes welcome the longer days. The stately cranes are courting, renewing an annual dance they perform in earnest as the days lengthen into spring. Sandhill Crane pairs remain together for life, and their spirited dance plays an essential

To Breathe Like a Bird

October 27, 2021 Birds have a highly efficient breathing anatomy that powers the exertion of flight. It is driven by large, thin-walled air sacs located throughout the body cavity that operate like bellows. This parabronchial system for extracting oxygen from the air has a far greater surface area than the

Rainwater Basin

April 3, 2021 For 20,000 years, spring rains and melting snow have filled the playas of the Rainwater Basin of south-central Nebraska. As winter ends, ten million waterfowl rest and feed here before continuing north. The seasonal wetlands form a funnel for birds heading from the Gulf Coast and points

Seeds of Attraction

February 10, 2021 What is it that draws us to a romantic partner? Birds have lots of ways to catch the attention of a mate. Most cranes duet with prospective partners for years before they begin breeding. Crested Auklets of both sexes produce a pungent citrus perfume. And Blue-footed Boobies dance, showing

Outdoors with the Urban Bird Collective

January 5, 2021 Monica Bryand, co-founder of the Urban Bird Collective, takes us along to capture an image of Sandhill Cranes. Audubon Minnesota asked her to capture some of the 166 climate-threatened and endangered birds in Minnesota. They were hoping for 50 to 75 on the list. But after her first season

Bosque del Apache, High Desert Oasis

November 14, 2020 At this time of year, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico is a birder's paradise. The refuge — critical wintering habitat for great numbers of birds — sits where the north edge of the Chihuahuan desert meets the Rio Grande River. Witness the magnificent spectacle of

Sandhill Cranes Wait Out the Storm

September 21, 2020 At the fall equinox, gillnetter Misha Noonan would often get stuck at the far east end of the Copper River Delta, waiting out the storms. Once the storms were so unrelenting, that not only were fishermen unable to return to Cordova, but Sandhill Cranes were unable to proceed with their

Sandhill Cranes - Interview with Hank Lentfer

December 30, 2019 Hank Lentfer, author and lifelong Alaskan, helped establish a 4,000-acre refuge for Sandhill Cranes—the Gustavus Forelands Preserve. Today, some 20,000 Sandhill Cranes use the preserve to rest and refuel. Along the way, they've helped Hank make his own journey—one from despair to hope. "It

Birds and Bird Conservation Matter - Interview with David Yarnold

December 10, 2019 We asked David Yarnold, President of National Audubon, why bird conservation matters. He says that preserving wild places and preserving the links in nature's chains allow wildlife to thrive. Where birds thrive, you're going to have clean water and clean air, and that's good for kids, and

The Platte River Crane Plane

November 1, 2013 Every day between early October and early November, two planes fly over the Platte River in Central Nebraska. The flight crews are searching for endangered Whooping Cranes, like the one pictured here with Sandhill Cranes. If Whooping Cranes are spotted, a ground crew monitors the birds’

Cranes Bring Economic Benefit to the Platte

March 26, 2013 Every March, Sandhill Cranes return to the Platte River in Nebraska, on their way to nesting grounds in coastal Alaska, northern Canada, and Siberia. Birdwatchers come from all over and contribute mightily to the state's economy - as much as $30 million per year. In addition to being of