This page contains 75 scenic images and courtship displays, group shots and portraits,
behavioral shots and flight shots of Sandhill Cranes at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge
in New Mexico, organized from dawn through sunrise, mid-day through sunset and dusk.

Click an image to open a larger version.
Use your back button to return to this page.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Sandhill Cranes Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 5 Galleries in the Photoshelter Sandhill Cranes Collection

Sandhill Cranes at Sunset X1274 16x9

Sandhill Cranes

Named for the sand hills of the Platte River area where most North American migratory
individuals gather to rest before heading to their breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska,
the Sandhill Cranes are the oldest known birds still in existence (a fossil skeleton identical in
structure to the modern Sandhill Crane was found in Nebraska and was dated to 10 million
years). This fossil is most likely from a direct ancestor to the Sandhill Crane. The oldest
fossil that is without doubt from a Sandhill Crane was dated to 2.5 million years ago,
which is 1.5 times older than the earliest remains from most living bird species.

Sandhill Cranes are large birds, 3.5 to 4.5 feet tall, with red facial skin, forehead and
crown, and gray feathers into which they sometimes preen iron-rich mud, turning them
a reddish-brown color. They are the most abundant of cranes, with a wide distribution in
North America, Cuba and Northeastern Siberia. Three migratory sub-species winter in the
southern US and northern Mexico, and three non-migratory sub-species live in Mississippi,
Cuba and Florida. The migratory species breed in the northern US, Canada and Siberia.

Bosque Crane Pool at Dawn 2316

Bosque Crane Pool at Dawn 2318

A Bosque del Apache Crane Pool at dawn, with and without Sandhill Cranes over the Cottonwood.

I had to move the composition slightly to the left to acquire a focus lock on the approaching cranes,
and was unable to recompose before the cranes were over the Cottonwood. These things happen.

Sandhill Cranes at First Light HS1042

A group of sleeping Sandhill Cranes frozen into the Main Pond in front of Coyote Deck on a brutally cold
January morning at Bosque del Apache. The temperature at first light was still below zero, and the frozen
cranes would later have to break out of the ice and run across its slippery surface to take off for the fields.

Bosque del Apache Sandhills at Sunrise HS1061

A group of sleeping Sandhill Cranes are frozen into the pond in front of the Coyote Deck at
Bosque del Apache as the first rays of sunrise bathe the Cottonwoods in a red-orange glow.

Sandhill Cranes Breaking Out of the Ice X3540

A Sandhill Crane breaks out of the ice while two other cranes evaluate his technique.

Some of the most comical scenes happen when the Sandhill Cranes break out of the ice,
slipping and sliding over its surface in the attempt to warm up and take off for the farm fields.

Sandhill Crane Juvenile Ice Takeoff at Dawn X3563

Sandhill Crane Juvenile Ice Takeoff at Dawn X3574

A juvenile Sandhill Crane slides across the ice behind an adult in an attempt to gain its balance
and some traction to allow it to start its takeoff run. It slid around for several seconds, nearly falling.

Sandhill Crane Juvenile Ice Takeoff at Dawn X3581

Sandhill Crane Juvenile Ice Takeoff at Dawn X3582

Eventually, the juvenile gains purchase on the ice and begins its takeoff run. The juvenile is so anxious to
get off of the ice that it attempts to take off before it has achieved the necessary speed, without success.

Sandhill Crane Juvenile Ice Takeoff at Dawn X3587

Back on the ice again after nearly falling on its face, the juvenile Sandhill Crane runs and flaps
while maintaining a very precarious balance, as an adult looks on, standing calmly on one leg.

Sandhill Crane Juvenile Ice Takeoff at Dawn X3590

Sandhill Crane Juvenile Ice Takeoff at Dawn X3591

Finally, after two more sliding steps, the juvenile achieves takeoff speed and gratefully flies out to the fields.

Sandhill Crane Juvenile Ice Takeoff at Dawn XXXL

A 1500 x 766 version of the XXXL Composite (9886 x 5050) showing 12 images from a comical takeoff
sequence on a cold January morning, in which a juvenile attempts to achieve balance and traction on the ice.

More running takeoffs on the ice and on water are displayed on the Takeoff Sequences page.

Sandhill Crane Take a Bow HS0443

A juvenile Sandhill Crane acknowledges his appreciative viewers as he finally achieves
balance on the ice at sunrise on a brutally cold January morning at Bosque del Apache.

Sandhill Cranes Breaking Out of the Ice 2772

Sandhill Cranes breaking out of the ice on the Crane Pool after sunrise on a cold morning in late December.
The young adult in the center (golden crown and red facial skin) was having all sorts of trouble gaining balance.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Sandhill Cranes Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 5 Galleries in the Photoshelter Sandhill Cranes Collection

Sandhill Cranes at Sunrise 4738

Sandhill Cranes in silhouette at sunrise, crossing the Main Pond at Bosque del Apache, New Mexico.

Sandhill Cranes Morning Reflections 3279

Sandhill Cranes bathed in the golden glow of sunrise, reflected in the marsh waters of Bosque del Apache.

Sandhill Crane Sunrise Courtship Display 6671 M

Sandhill Crane Sunrise Courtship Display 6672 M

A Sandhill Crane displays for an interested female at sunrise, as her bored companion looks away.

Sandhill Crane Morning Display 3330

Sandhill Crane Morning Display 3332

A Sandhill Crane performs an emphatic display at sunrise, bending forward and lifting its wings.

Sandhill Crane Morning Display 3346

The crane then stands and extends its wings, fluffing its chest and calling loudly.

Sandhill Crane Morning Display 3347 M

A Sandhill Crane at the end of an emphatic morning display, which seemed to attract little attention.

All of the landscape (horizontal) large version images linked from the thumbnails are 1500 pixels wide.
Portrait (vertical) images are 1200 pixels tall (1290 pixels with title bar). Images designated with an “M”
in the shot number are 5:4 aspect ratio, 1500 x 1290 with a title bar, or 1500 x 1200 without a title bar.

Sandhill Cranes Morning Fly-out 3915

Sandhill Cranes leaving the Crane Pool at Bosque del Apache to fly out to the farm fields at sunrise.

Sandhill Cranes X8765

A group of Sandhill Cranes warming up in the Crane Pool on a cold morning in December.

Sandhill Cranes X8911

Two Sandhill Cranes take a warm-up march across the Crane Pool before making their takeoff run.

Sandhill Cranes X8922

A group of Sandhill Cranes in the Crane Pool at Bosque del Apache in December.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Sandhill Cranes Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 5 Galleries in the Photoshelter Sandhill Cranes Collection

Sandhill Crane Dawn Flyout 3432

A Sandhill Crane leaves the large Crane Pool in extremely unusual light early on a mid-December morning.

Sandhill Crane Dawn Flyout 3442

A thinly overcast gap above the eastern horizon diffused the light of the rising sun,
which reflected off the heavy overcast creating a soft warm glow over the landscape.

Bosque Crane Pool Chupaderas 5011

Bosque Crane Pool Chupaderas 3367

The large Crane Pool at Bosque del Apache, with the Chupadera Mountains in the background.
The image on the left was taken just after sunrise, the image at right one week and a half hour later,
after most of the Sandhill Cranes had already flown out to the farm fields to feed on corn and alfalfa.

Sandhill Cranes 1780

Sandhill Cranes milling around in the shallows just after sunrise at Bosque del Apache.

Sandhill Crane 5423

A close portrait of a Sandhill Crane in the farm fields, with
with a group of his fellows probing the field in the background.

Sandhill Crane 5439

Sandhill Crane 5440

Two close portraits of a Sandhill Crane standing in the farm fields in February.

Sandhill Crane Feeding 5491

Sandhill Crane Feeding 5528

A Sandhill Crane feeding in the farm fields at Bosque del Apache in February.
The crane is quite adept at probing the field to find corn seeds, tubers and insects.

Sandhill Crane 1903

A close portrait of a Sandhill Crane posing beside a canal at Bosque del Apache.

Sandhill Crane 2421 M

A 1000 x 1600 close portrait of a young adult Sandhill Crane in the Corn Fields
at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge. Note how the golden crown of the juvenile
is beginning to transition to the red facial skin and gray feathered crown of the adult.

Sandhill Crane 5901 M

A Sandhill Crane marches beside a canal at Bosque del Apache in December.

The adult Sandhill Crane has brilliant red skin around the eyes, forehead and crown.
Compare this with the feathered crown of the young adult below, and the golden brown
crown and neck of the juveniles, who also lack the red skin on the face and forehead.

Sandhill Crane and Juveniles X3884 M

A young adult and two juvenile Sandhill Cranes going for a hike down a trail at Bosque del Apache.

Sandhill Crane Juvenile 1839 M

Sandhill Crane Juveniles X3878

Juvenile Sandhill Cranes march down a trail beside a grassy field at Bosque del Apache in December.

Sandhill Crane Juvenile X3872

A juvenile Sandhill Crane comments as his shadow intersects a rock on the trail at Bosque del Apache.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Sandhill Cranes Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 5 Galleries in the Photoshelter Sandhill Cranes Collection

Sandhill Crane Portrait 8767

Sandhill Crane Portrait 8894

Profile and rear portraits of Sandhill Cranes taken at the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in
the heart of the Fraser River estuary in British Columbia, Canada. These images were taken at mid-day,
but the winter light on an overcast day in southern Canada can be variable and it is generally quite dark.

Sandhill Crane Close Portrait 8770

Note the Widow’s Peak in the transition between the red skin and feathers on the crown.

Sandhill Crane Close Portrait 8853

Sandhill Crane Hand Feeding 8875

The Reifel Bird Sanctuary is unusual in my experience. The Sandhill Cranes will allow you
to get quite close, as you can see from these portraits, and will eat grain out of your hand.

Sandhill Crane Close Portrait 8866

A close portrait of a Sandhill Crane taken at the George C. Reifel Bird Sanctuary in British Columbia.

Sandhill Crane X3854

Sandhill Crane X3868

Close portraits of Sandhill Cranes on the trail at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.
These are technically close portraits, but the two above were taken at 500mm, the one below at 700mm.

Sandhill Crane X9102M

A Sandhill Crane patrols a grassy field at Bosque del Apache in the late afternoon in December.

Sandhill Crane Mating Display 1944

A Sandhill Crane performs a courtship display for his lady bird in late December at Bosque del Apache.

Bosque del Apache Sandhill Cranes 2328

Sandhill Cranes fly past a Cottonwood over the Crane Pool in the late afternoon in December.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Sandhill Cranes Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 5 Galleries in the Photoshelter Sandhill Cranes Collection

Bosque del Apache Sandhills at Sunset 6865

A group of Sandhill Cranes fly in an arched formation on their way to a sunset landing
amongst a flock of Snow Geese on the Main Pond at Bosque del Apache, New Mexico.

Bosque del Apache Sandhills at Sunset 0430

Bosque del Apache Sandhills at Sunset 0431

Sandhill Cranes fly over a group of Canada Geese, Ducks and Teals on the Main Pond at sunset.

Sandhill Crane Behavior X6718

Sandhill Cranes posturing and discussing their day at sunset on the small Crane Pool at Bosque del Apache.

Sandhill Cranes Sunset 5814

A group of Sandhill Cranes at sunset, in the marsh beside the Main Pond at Bosque del Apache.

Sandhill Crane Dusk Reflections 6237

Sandhill Crane Sunset Reflection X4065

Sandhill Cranes at dusk and at sunset, in front of the Flight Deck over the Main Pond at Bosque del Apache.

Sandhill Cranes Sunset Drink X4057

Two Sandhill Cranes take a drink from the Main Pond after flying in from the farm fields at sunset.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Sandhill Cranes Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 5 Galleries in the Photoshelter Sandhill Cranes Collection

Sandhill Cranes Sunset Drink X9559

A group of Sandhill Cranes drinking on the Main Pond in exquisite golden light at sunset.

When there are clouds just above the western horizon, they reflect the last rays of the sun
onto the water, and the color transitions from a yellow-gold through peach and mauve.

Sandhill Cranes Sunset Drink 5390 M

Three adults and a juvenile (center) drinking in the Main Pond just after sunset.

Sandhill Juvenile Sunset Drink 5366 M

A juvenile Sandhill Crane ruffles its feathers as it drinks from the Main Pond just after sunset.

Sandhill Cranes Sunset Display 3828

A Sandhill Crane displays in golden light after sunset for an appreciative female on the Main Pond.

Sandhill Cranes Sunset Reflections HS8174

A group of Sandhill Cranes are reflected in the Main Pond in beautiful light after sunset in February.

Sandhill Cranes After Sunset HS0984

Sandhill Cranes After Sunset HS0991

After they get their drink, the Sandhill Cranes wander in both directions to find a good spot
for the night. They follow definite traffic patterns, and as American Birds, they drive on the right.

Sandhill Cranes at Dusk HS8137

A group of three Sandhill Cranes in the mauve light at dusk, searching for a spot to spend the night.

Sandhill Cranes Sunset Drink HS0942

Sandhill Cranes drinking as the sun sets over the Main Pond at Bosque del Apache.

Ladd Gordon Sandhills at Sunset HS8377

Sandhill Cranes fly past a pink cloud at sunset towards Bosque del Apache
from the Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex 48 miles north in Bernardo, NM.

Sandhill Cranes Sunset X7324

Sandhill Cranes flying in formation in front of a backdrop of golden clouds at sunset.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Sandhill Cranes Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 5 Galleries in the Photoshelter Sandhill Cranes Collection

Click the Display Composite above to visit the Sandhill Cranes: Takeoffs page

Click the Display Composite above to visit the Sandhill Cranes: Takeoff Sequences page

Click the Display Composite above to visit the Sandhill Cranes: Flight page

Click the Display Composite above to visit the Sandhill Cranes: Landings page

Click the Display Composite above to visit the Sandhill Cranes: Fall Plumage and Mating Dance page

Click the Display Composite above to visit the Sandhill Cranes: Composite Images page

Click the Display Composite above to return to the Sandhill Cranes Wildlife Study Overview page