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Sunday, August 24, 2014

Looking for a Sandhill Crane

When I came to Saskatchewan it was my goal to see the majestic Sandhill crane. When a Sandhill crane turned up in the Goulds, Newfoundland I went on a wild crane chase to see it. Sadly, the only vagrant I saw were the European golden-plovers.  Sandhill cranes migrate through Saskatchewan in late August to late September. The peak period is September 10-24. Of the 2 species of cranes that inhabit North America, Sandhills are the smallest.  There are two races of Sandhills, the lesser race and the greater race. The lesser race breeds in the far north and the greater race breeds from central Canada downwards. The lesser race measures around 3 feet tall and the greater race around 3 feet and 6 inches tall. Sandhills feed mainly on seeds and cultivated grains, aquatic plants, small vertebrates and invertebrate, there diet may also include berries and tubers. Nonmigratory populations feed on snails and reptiles, fruits and berries, amphibians, small mammals and nestling birds. The Sandhill crane has sturdy populations. But, populations in Mississippi and Cuba are endangered because of conversion of there wet pine habitat to pine plantations. Sandhill cranes are beautiful birds with a red blotch on the crown and a grey body. They forage on mud flats, fields and pastures.



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