They might also throw a stick or some plants into the air. Dancing Sandhill Cranes Photos and Text By Carol Polich << WATCH VIDEO: Listen to Sandhill Crane Calls Sometimes the dance involves wing-flapping, bowing, and jumping. Although the dancing is most common in the breeding season, the cranes can dance all year long. During mating, sandhill cranes perform dancing displays. Although dancing is most common in the breeding season, the cranes can dance all year long, and this photo was taken mid-December. Wandering Sole Images 106,007 views.

"Why do sandhill cranes dance? 1:33. Juvenile Sandhill Cranes will use the complex dance steps they learned to select a mate when they are two to five years old. In hindsight, I wish I had taped it but I was so enthralled, I forgot. They may be establishing territories, or they may be warning other cranes of possible danger, but the most widely accepted theory is that the dance is a mating ritual. 1:33. They started to dance. And I had my camera! Dancers have tried to mimic cranes and while they created a beautiful dance, the sandhill cranes had more varied moves. Most of the Sandhill Cranes had flown off for the corn fields in the morning, with just a few left when this one started dancing. With their long legs and necks, these gray birds with crimson-capped heads stand up to 4 feet tall, and have a large wingspan ranging from 5.5 – 7.5 feet. Sandhill Cranes are my husband’s favorite birds. Dancing Sandhill Cranes Photos and Text By Carol Polich << WATCH VIDEO: Listen to Sandhill Crane Calls Sandhill Cranes mate for life, and they can be seen doing this courtship dance primarily during breeding season (though sometimes you can see it at other times of year as well). ... Sandhill Cranes Dancing ~ Mating Dance and Calls - Duration: 1:33. Males are slightly larger than females, but otherwise look identical. Sandhill Cranes nesting in north migrate long distances (some cross the Bering Straits every spring and fall, en route to and from nesting grounds in Siberia). Day-old sandhill crane babies discover water - Duration: ... Sandhill Cranes Learning to Dance - Duration: 1:33. orangescope 3,411 views. Sandhill Crane Taking a Bow. Sandhill Cranes have an elegance that draws attention. The courtship dance was a tour de force and a highlight of my first day at this national park. They will mate for life, though continue to show their affection to their mates each spring with their dancing prowess. Named for the Sandhill Cranes that make the farm their home each spring, Crane Dance Farm nestles among the rolling hills, woods, and wetlands of Middleville in Barry Country, Michigan ~ a perfect setting for a sustainable, regenerative, pasture-based farm.
Quite an amazing spectacle to behold.

The dance involves the flapping of their wings, bowing their heads low, jumping into the air, … The energies and, dare we say emotions, released during the dancing rituals are essential to successful breeding. There are several theories. Well, right before my eyes, the cranes were bowing and leaping into the air, throwing branches and sticks with their beaks. He loves their large size, their wild wondrous call and their elegant mating dance. In my August 9 post about Sandhill Cranes, I wrote that the most fascinating part of watching sandhill cranes is when they dance. Sandhill Crane Dance. "Dance of the Sandhill Crane," written by Clare Antonioli, read by Caroline Kurtz. Sandhill Cranes Jumping & … Sandhill Crane Migration, Platte River - Duration: 3:22.