Sandhill Cranes: A One Night Stand

​Each year thousands of Sandhill Cranes visit Fruitgrowers Reservoir in migration between their wintering grounds in New Mexico and breeding grounds in the Northern Rockies.  They come for an overnight stay, to rest and feed before moving on. Locals and visitors alike, are drawn to this local reservoir to observe the gathering, contribute to the count and witness the Sandhill Cranes as they engage in their mating ritual; performing an elaborate and elegant hopping dance to gain the attention of potential mates. Courting cranes stretch their wings, pump their heads, bow, and leap into the air in a graceful and energetic dance. 

Whether stepping singly across a wet meadow or filling the sky by the hundreds and thousands, Sandhill Cranes have an elegance that draws attention. These tall, gray-bodied, crimson-capped birds breed in open wetlands, fields, and prairies across North America. (read more)

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