In
this blog I would like to introduce you to a fascinating pair of birds that I
became familiar with while working at the World Bird Sanctuary. They are a stately pair of Sandhill
Cranes named Menomenee and Shawnee and can be seen on the WBS exhibit line—just
down the path from our Wildlife Hospital.
Menomenee and Shawnee - Photo by Lisbeth Hodges, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist
Menomenee
and Shawnee came to WBS in August of 2011 from a rehabilitation facility in
Wisconsin. They were hatched in
the wild, so their age is unknown, but we do know that they are adults because
of their plumage (feather color).
Because they both have wing injuries they are unable to survive in the
wild.
Shawnee full length photo showing
markings (Photo by Gay Schroer)
Sandhill
Cranes are very tall gray/light brown
birds. They have long legs and
long graceful necks and stand from three to
five feet tall. They also have red
plumage on the forehead and white cheeks that mimic the shape of their long
beak. Sandhill Cranes are not
sexually dimorphic, meaning that the males and females look the same.
The
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) is one of the most
interesting and abundant cranes in the world! Their current population stands at about 650,000 and they are listed by the IUCN as
a species of Least Concern.
There
are three migratory subspecies that includes the Lesser,
Greater, and Canadian subspecies.
Then there are three non-migratory subspecies that includes the
Mississippi, Florida, and Cuba Sandhill Cranes. These stately birds are native to North America and
Siberia. They can be found in
freshwater wetlands, grasslands and meadows. Their diet consists of many things including mice, snakes,
insects, plants, and grains. These
beautiful birds have an amazing wingspan ranging from five to six feet. The weight of these cranes can range
from 6 to 14 pounds, depending upon where they are from and which subspecies
they are.
Sandhill
Cranes breed in Canada, Siberia, Alaska, and the northern United States. They become sexually mature anywhere
from two to seven years old.
Clutch size (number of eggs or chicks) is usually around two eggs and
both parents will help incubate.
They prefer to nest in the wetlands and use plant material to make their
nest. The female will lay pale
brown eggs with dark brown markings.
Sandhill Cranes with chick-Yellowstone N.P. by Gay Schroer, WBS Volunteer
Sandhill
Crane chicks are precocial, which means they are covered in down, with eyes
open, and are able to leave the nest within 24 hours of hatching. Another amazing fact is that they can
feed themselves within one day of hatching! How many chicks can do that?!
Their
lifespan in the wild is around 20 years and can reach up to 30 to 40 years in
captivity.
Shawnee & Menomenee Unison Calling
(Photo by Gay Schroer, WBS Volunteer)
Sandhill
cranes have a few different vocalizations. One is a loud rattling kar-r-r-o-o-o
with many variations of it.
Another is the contact
call, which is a low, soft pitch call that allows the birds to stay in
contact with each other even when out of sight. Another call they make is a guard
call which a very loud single call to alert other cranes that there is a
threat nearby. The last one is a unison
call, in which a pair will stand close to each other and synchronize their
calls while tilting their heads up towards the sky. It is a sign that shows that the pair is bonding. This is my favorite call. Since Menomenee and Shawnee have been
here at WBS, I have only heard them do this unison call twice. It’s an amazing sound and it seems that
they do it more during nice weather.
Both
Shawnee and Menomenee are available for adoption in our Adopt a Bird
program. To find out more
information, call 636-861-3225.
All adoption donations are tax deductible.
Shawnee
and Menomenee can be seen on the exhibit line at the World Bird Sanctuary which
is open daily from 8am-5pm. This
pair is very unique to see. You
should stop on by and visit them!
Submitted
by Lisbeth Hodges, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist
1 comment:
This is cool!
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