Monday, October 5, 2009

The Florida sandhill crane (G. c. pratensis)

Two subspecies of sandhill crane occur in Florida. The Florida sandhill crane (G. c. pratensis), numbering 4,000 to 5,000, is a non-migratory year-round breeding resident. They are joined every winter by 25,000 migratory greater sandhill cranes (G. c. tabida), the larger of the two subspecies. The greater sandhill crane winters in Florida but nests in the Great Lakes region. Sandhill cranes nest during late winter and spring on mats of vegetation about two feet in diameter and in shallow water. Two eggs are normally laid. Cranes are monogamous breeders. Within 24 hours of hatching, the young are capable of following their parents away from the nest. Together, they forage for seeds and roots, crop plants such as corn and peanuts, insects, snakes, frogs and occasionally young birds or small mammals.






Photos by Juan C Aguero (juanKa)
Fisheating Creek WMA, Glades County, Fl

4 comments:

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Beautiful pictures and excellent information Juan. I think all the crane species are in danger as there is less and less areas where they can breed.

Javier said...

Vaya suerte con las grullas, estarás contento con las imágenes, me parecen unas aves realmente bellas, cuando estuvimos en cuba las buscamos con ánsia pero se nos escaparon,no localizamos a ninguún ejemplar, nos dejaron con las ganas de poder verlas, por aquí tenemos otra especie Grus grus, ahora están a puntito de llegar.... un abrazo y como siempre magnificas imágenes Juanka.

Juan C. Aguero said...

Si me parecen muy interesantes estas aves.

Andor Marton said...

Good information and fine set. They eat young birds ... that's very nasty.