Crane Pair in Meadow

Sandhill Cranes

This elegant pair of Greater Sandhill Cranes (Antigone canadensis tabida) was spotted during an evening walk in Island Park, Idaho. Standing about 4 feet tall with a 6–7 foot wingspan, they cut striking figures against the spring landscape: slate-gray bodies often tinged with rusty-orange stains from iron-rich wetland mud, bright red forehead patches that stand out like crimson caps, snowy-white cheeks, long black legs, and straight dark bills. Mated for life, these ancient birds (their lineage dates back millions of years) were likely scouting or preparing a hidden platform nest of reeds and vegetation in the nearby marshes. Their loud, rolling bugle calls can carry for miles—pure magic on a quiet evening!