Sandhill crane in NC?

Vince, funny anecdote in the era prior plasmid mediated bacterial antibiotic resistance. Now, this just gives you reason to pause...
 
So my question to the assembled expertise: Were Sandhill Cranes once native to the Midwest and East Coast so that we are now seeing them re-establish themselves?
 
James Woods said:
So my question to the assembled expertise: Were Sandhill Cranes once native to the Midwest and East Coast so that we are now seeing them re-establish themselves?
Click to expand...

When the first reports of breeding cranes came in here, there was considerable discussion among biologists and birders about whether this was a range expansion or recovery of a locally extirpated species. Evidence was slim, in large part because of the potential for mis-identification of herons as cranes in historic documents, but the consensus was that in the 1600's and maybe into the early to mid 1800's migrating cranes were commonly observed on the east coast and probably bred here.
 
Based on their success here in Florida I'd tend to believe that there was probably a mix of both. Very cool birds, was just hanging a tree stand where we had to walk by and through a big flag pond and ended up jumping about a dozen of them. They have to be some of the loudest birds in the avian world.
 
It is a cold day in Georgia. I was out raking leaves yet again today and heard that distinctive sand hill crane call. Looking up it took awhile to search the clear sky but I finally located them - a flock of about thirty circling overhead. What a beautiful sight! I imagine they are headed to the Jacksonville area for the winter. I will be waiting in the spring for their return trip north.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top