sandhill cranes
Tall gray birds
Sandhill cranes are large, long-legged migratory birds found across North America, known for their gray plumage, red foreheads, and distinctive rattling calls.
They gather in spectacular numbers at staging grounds during migration, particularly along the Platte River in Nebraska.
We watched thousands of sandhill cranes come in to roost at dusk.
Bird's complete feather coat
- wingspanTip-to-tip extent
- feathersBird's lightweight covering
- beakHorny avian mouthpart
- flockAnimals gathered together
avian · chicks · juveniles · adults · brood · colts · long legs · long neck
Water-saturated terrain
- marshGrassy waterlogged lowland
- bogAcidic peat wetland
- meadowGrassy field for grazing
- grasslandTreeless herb-covered ecosystem
prairie · tundra · sedge · cattail · shallow water · mudflat · nesting grounds
Established bird migration path
- stopoverBrief halt mid-journey
- stagingPreparing for presentation
- flockAnimals gathered together
- glideMove with effortless continuity
soar · thermals · V-formation · long-distance · seasonal · northward · southward · departure
Seeking another's romantic favor
- dancingRhythmic bodily motion
- bowingBending forward in deference
- leapingSpringing into air
- pair bondingEnduring mate attachment
monogamous · nesting · roosting · foraging · gleaning · territorial · preening · calling
Expressed intent to harm
- habitat lossElimination of living spaces
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
- protectedKept from harm
- hunting regulationsRules governing wildlife harvest
plumage
Bird's complete feather coat
flock · avian · chicks · juveniles · adults · brood · colts · long legs · long neck · species
wetlands
Water-saturated terrain
grassland · prairie · tundra · sedge · cattail · shallow water · mudflat · nesting grounds
flyway
Established bird migration path
glide · soar · thermals · V-formation · long-distance · seasonal · northward · southward · departure · arrival
courtship
Seeking another's romantic favor
pair bonding · monogamous · nesting · roosting · foraging · gleaning · territorial · preening · calling · mating display
threatened
Expressed intent to harm
- habitat lossElimination of living spaces
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
- protectedKept from harm
hunting regulations · wildlife management · monitoring · banding
sandhill cranesgreat blue herons
Large North American wading birds
herons · egrets · bitterns · night herons · storks
crane, hilly, cranes, sandier, sandhill, sandhills, sandhill crane