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Sandhill Crane

A Sandhill Crane is a bird that is a common site in the winter time in the Central Valley of California. The Sandhill Crane is known for their red cap. Cranes are both dramatic and prehistoric-looking.

Winter in the Central Valley may seem cold, damp and foggy but thousands of these birds winter in the valley’s grasslands and marshes. This species of birds provide excellent wildlife viewing and wildlife photography opportunities in various areas of the California Central Valley.

Sandhill Cranes are the most common and widespread crane in North America. Sandhill Cranes breed across the tundra, mountains, and plains of Canada and the northern United States. They then fly south for the winter.

They are known for their elaborate courtship dances and graceful flight. Mated pairs of cranes engage in “unison calling.” The cranes stand close together, calling in a synchronized and complex duet. The female makes two calls for every single call of the male. Their light-footed mating dance, with wings spread wide, is ancient avian ballet.

Adults are gray overall with a red forehead, white cheeks and a long dark pointed bill. The sexes look alike. A Sandhill Crane has a loud trumpeting call that is like the trill of a distant French horn. Sandhill Crane families often can find each other by calling out.

One of the best viewing areas to see the Sandhill Cranes in California is the Merced National Wildlife Refuge. Starting in the Fall Sandhill Cranes begin to arrive at the refuge to winter in the grasslands and waterways of the Central Valley. Up to 20,000 Sandhill Cranes will make their winter home in the Refuge. It is the largest concentration of Sandhill Cranes in the Central Valley. The peak of the population occurs in November.

A Sandhill Crane with their red cap feeding on the fields of California’s Central Valley is a wonderful subject for a wildlife photographer.