It is a very large bird standing about 4 feet tall and it's wingspan is 6 1/2 feet. It's beautiful red crown makes it stand out in any crowd. They congregate in huge numbers in migration.
The Cranes are omnivorous, eating insects, aquatic plants, animals, rodents, seeds and berries. The Sandhill Crane mates for life.
They are gregarious, noisy and conspicuous. They allowed me to walk right up to them. When I got too close they would do this kind of jump and dance. They seem to be everywhere in Florida. The Crane is comfortable in rural and urban settings. It was common to see them walking in the yards of houses. It makes a deep, rolling trumpet and rattling sound. I don't know if they have any predators, but they sure don't act like it.
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Linda Gast
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