“Gray?  Brown?  What the heck!”

by Scott Lee

 

“Gray?  Brown?  What the heck!”

 

OK, what’s going on?  Earlier this spring we got this big onslaught of all these big, gray, long-necked birds that I identified as Sandhill Cranes – always exciting to see them return - wonderful sign of spring around here! Now I look all over for them and all I can find are a whole bunch of big, long-necked birds in the same places that look just like those cranes - but they’re all BROWN!  What’s the deal?!

 

Well, guess what - they ARE the same sandhill cranes I’d been seeing!  They just decided to “change clothes” and put on ones that will give them a better chance of survival in their habitat of choice – the marsh.  They intentionally preen themselves with mud  (yuch!) to camouflage themselves during breeding season – a pretty good example of the sacrifices parents make for their kids!  The youngsters are a sandy brown color with darker heads (the parents’ heads are red).

 

They’re not done with their “clothes changing routine” yet, however, as they seem to prefer the gray hues for the non-breeding months.  By the time they head south for the winter, the mud-stained feathers have cleaned themselves up so they begin their migration all decked out in their preferred winter color of gray.  Yet another “wonder of nature”!