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Mississippi Sandhill Cranes - Their Unique Biology
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Cranes look superficially like herons and their relatives. Both are tall, thin, and have long legs, necks and beaks. Despite their appearance, though, cranes are not closely related to herons, and their biology and way of living is quite different.
Most commonly, the Great Blue Heron is compared to a crane.
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Cranes |
Herons |
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Fly with neck outstretched |
Fly with recurved neck |
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| Bare red crown |
Fully feathered head |
Loud, rattling
bugle call |
Croak call |
| Long-lived |
Short-lived |
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Monogamous |
Change Mates |
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Nest on ground,
solitary |
Nest in tree,
colonial |
| Lay 1-2 eggs |
Lay 4-7 eggs |
Parents take
chick to food |
Parents take
food to chick |
Young stay
with parents
10 months |
Parents desert
young after fledging
(?? months) |
Long subadult period
(3-8 years) |
Breed at 1-2 years |
| Cannot perch in a tree |
Often found in trees |
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Nesting Habits
Cranes are territorial nesters. They do not even allow the offspring of the previous year in the nesting territory.
Herons and egrets nest in rookeries with many other birds. They nest with other herons and with birds of different species. |
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| Mouse over the photos below to learn more about a Year in the Life of a Crane. |
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Learn more about the cranes.... |
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| -Mississippi Sandhill Cranes |
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Last updated:
May 23, 2009
