“Sister Species”
Some species found in Northern Indiana that could be confused for a sandhill crane from the distance are as follows: Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, and occasionally a Whooping Crane.
Great Egret Great Blue Heron Whooping Cranes
The biggest factor in discerning these is their habits while in flight. Sandhill Cranes fly with their necks outstretched, like you might also see in Canada Geese, and Mute Swans- whereas Egrets and Herons fly with their necks tucked in. Another key difference while these birds are in flight is their community; Sandhill Cranes typically fly in pairs or with their family while Egrets and Herons typically prefer solitude when facing the skies. Sandhill Cranes and Whooping Cranes are the most similar out of these four birds, with a key difference being the Whooping Crane’s stark white body and sharply contrasting Black wing tips. Whooping Cranes are also highly uncommon in Northern Indiana specifically, with only a few appearing yearly due to issues with navigating to their actual migration sites.
Traits and Behavior
Sandhill Cranes live a fairly straightforward life- they migrate once a year, raise their young for a couple months, and throughout that, hunt for food. A female Sandhill typically lays one to three eggs, with typically only one egg surviving and hatching. Sandhill cranes lay a special type of egg known as precocial, where the chick is born with downy feathers and is developed enough to begin walking within a couple of days since hatching. Other species that lay precocial eggs include: Swans, geese, ducks, and other waterfowl. These eggs are a result of evolution due to the location of the nests being on the ground, and the threat of predators that come alongside with ground-nesting. If the hatchlings needed incubation like a songbird’s babies do, there is a much lower rate of survival due to the unprotected nature of being permanently on the ground. Another unique fact about Sandhill cranes relates to their calls; each call is pitched differently in order to communicate a given message. They have this unique ability to create low and rattling calls with their tracheas- which are substantially longer than the average bird. This added length gives them room to squeeze or relax their tracheas in order to produce softer, purring sounds- typically before taking flight, and higher more rattly calls when danger is present.
Resources
Northern Indiana is an important location for Sandhill Cranes- we are one of the few places that can spot sandhill cranes through almost the entirety of the year. The Goshen, IN area serves as a critical nesting and resting spot for our migrating friends as they make their journey to warmer places and from colder places. While Sandhill Cranes are the most abundant species of Crane, they still require vigilance on our part to remain alive and functioning in today’s society. Climate change, development of land, and reduction in water resources are just a few of the factors- caused by humans, that can quickly lead to the decline in this species. Now, you might be asking yourself: “What can I do to help and protect these Cranes?”, so here are a few resources where you can donate to the cause, as well as general ways to help preserve these federally protected giants. Below I will also attach a link to the South Bend Audubon Society’s page, where you can become a member and get involved in the work that they do in our area to ensure the best life possible for birds in our communities.
