Meet the Cranes
The Crane Courier, Chapter 1
Elegant. Gangly. Ancient. Charismatic. Describing a sandhill crane to someone who has never met one is a study in contradictions. On one hand their bodies are fairly drab in tones of gray and brown, and their stout bodies are set on spindly, knobby legs. In contrast, their piercing honey-yellow eyes are set within a vibrant red cap. And when they throw their heads back, they release a rolling call that relies on unique physiology to produce a haunting harmony and deep, resonant tones. Hearing the call of thousands of cranes congregating during mating or migration season gives new meaning to the word “cacophony.” It is no wonder that cranes have been a major source of artistic inspiration in cultures throughout the world and across human history.
Sandhill cranes gather on Inspiration Ridge Preserve. Photograph by Nina Faust.
Sandhill cranes are native to North America, and their range extends from northern Mexico and Cuba to Alaska. While there are some year-round populations at the southeastern extent of their range, most sandhill cranes embark on an annual migration. They winter in the southern extent of their range. As temperatures warm up, the cranes make their way to their breeding grounds on the northern extent of their range.
A red cap and golden eyes are distinctive for sandhill cranes. Photograph by Nina Faust.
Cranes are social animals, and will congregate for each major life stage. As temperatures start to plummet in their summering habitat, cranes gather together before making their southward journey.
One of these gathering areas is located just outside Homer, Alaska on a piece of land known today as Inspiration Ridge Preserve. The grassy meadow along the ridge provides ample food as well as the perfect runway for the young of the year to learn to fly as they gear up for their first great journey south.
Sandhill cranes practice flying on Inspiration Ridge Preserve before making their southward migration. Photographs by Nina Faust.
Inspiration Ridge Preserve is just one of the many critical habitats and stopovers these cranes will rely on throughout their journey. Each habitat is unique, and each is essential to the continuing success of this species.
Nina Faust captures purrs and bugles in this footage from Inspiration Ridge Preserve. Listen with headphones or speakers to hear the complex tone of the vocalizations.
Nina writes: “Sandhill Cranes make a variety of calls, from purrs to hisses to bugles…. Purrs are used in calling young, prior to flight or mating, or when the crane is nervous. Unison calls or guard calls are sometimes used to let other cranes know this is the pair's territory or prior to or during flight flight. Vocalizations are complex and not fully understood.”
A sandhill crane stands on the ridgeline at Inspiration Ridge Preserve. Photograph by Nina Faust.
Join us as we follow the sandhill cranes throughout the year, and watch through our small but miraculous window into their epic annual migration at Inspiration Ridge Preserve. Subscribe to The Ridgeline, our publication sharing stories from Inspiration Ridge Preserve, to make sure you never miss a story on cranes and other creatures from this wild and inspiring corner of the world.
The rattling, rolling call of the sandhill crane can be heard as far as 2.5 miles away.