Sandhill cranes have been around for a long time. These birds have large grayish bodies with long necks and their heads are topped with a crimson red crown. There are two sandhill species that winter in the Central Valley: the greater sandhill and its smaller cousin, the lesser sandhill crane. The lesser migrates as far north as Siberian, Canada and Alaskan breeding grounds. When the cold weather creeps in they head south to wintering grounds mostly in Florida, Texas, Utah, Mexico, and California.  There have even been sightings in Cuba.

Ten million year old fossils from the Miocene Epoch seem to match the modern sandhill cranes we have today.  These large birds are found predominately in North America.  We folks in northern California are blessed because the greater sandhill crane spends spring and summer months here in Modoc and Lassen counties and many also range in southern Oregon.

Both species of sandhill cranes live and nest in freshwater wetlands typically and lay two eggs, which both parents incubate.  They are a curious bird and will eat anything they find that seems interesting.  So this makes them opportunistic eaters.  Their diet consists of mice, snakes, insects, or yummy worms, as well as enjoying plants, grains, corn and gourmet tubers.

Cranes are known for their “unison calling” and unique ballet during mating season: throwing their heads back, sharing a duet and leaping high in the air.