Sandhill Cranes are tall birds recognized by their gray plumage, long legs, and long necks, often accented by a distinctive patch of red skin on their foreheads. These birds are widely distributed across North America, from northern Canada and Alaska to the southern United States and parts of Siberia. They are omnivores, consuming a diverse array of food items, which allows them to adapt to various environments throughout their extensive range.
Primary Food Sources
Sandhill Cranes maintain a varied diet that includes both plant and animal matter. Plant-based foods form a substantial part of their intake, particularly grains like corn, wheat, barley, and sorghum, often found in agricultural fields. They also consume seeds, including sunflower seeds, and roots and tubers such as chufa, yellow star grass, and nut-grass. Berries, other fruits, leaves, and shoots supplement their plant-based diet.
Beyond vegetation, Sandhill Cranes also eat a range of animal-based foods. Invertebrates like grasshoppers, beetles, crickets, worms, grubs, snails, slugs, and crayfish are common prey. They also consume small vertebrates, including frogs, lizards, snakes, and small rodents such as mice, voles, and chipmunks. Occasionally, they may also eat bird eggs and nestling birds.
Foraging Techniques
Sandhill Cranes employ several distinct methods to obtain their food. One common technique is probing, where they use their long, pointed bills to dig into soft ground, mud, or marshy areas. This allows them to extract hidden food items such as tubers, earthworms, and various insects. They also engage in surface feeding, or gleaning, picking up grains, seeds, and insects directly from the ground.
In wetland environments, Sandhill Cranes wade to forage in shallow water. They search for aquatic insects, amphibians, and occasionally small fish. Their feeding behavior is opportunistic, adapting their diet and foraging strategies based on available food sources.
Dietary Variations
The diet of Sandhill Cranes shifts depending on the time of year and their specific habitat. Seasonal changes influence food availability, leading to dietary adjustments. During fall and winter, grains, particularly waste corn from agricultural fields, become a primary food source, providing energy for migration and building fat reserves. In contrast, spring and summer diets feature more protein-rich invertebrates, important during the breeding season to support egg production and chick growth.
Habitat also plays a significant role in shaping their diet. Cranes in agricultural areas consume cultivated crops, while those in wetlands and marshes focus on aquatic plants, tubers, insects, and amphibians. Grasslands provide seeds and insects. Young cranes initially rely on protein-dense invertebrates for rapid growth, with parents feeding them until they learn to forage and incorporate more vegetation into their diet.