Saskatchewan Birds – Oiseaux in the Land of Living Skies – Post #7
Saskatchewan’s slogan, “The Land of Living Skies” could refer as much to its magnificent birdlife as it does to its awe-inspiring Northern Lights and spectacular thunderstorms experienced there. This centrally located Canadian Province’s “Land of Living Skies” is home to over 400 recorded oiseaux (Fr. bird) species. Using my personal photographs in a blog post format, viewers will learn about the natural history and conservation status of these interesting birds in the Land of Living Skies!
A Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain
WHAT’S IN A NAME
Sandhill Crane – Grus canadensis
Name Roots: (L. grus, “crane, to cry out” – of Canada)
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Sandhill Cranes have gray bodies, red crowns, and white patches on the cheeks. The red crown is made of bare skin that develops in a bird’s second year of life. Sandhill Cranes stand 3 feet tall and have a wingspan of 6 feet. Juveniles have gray and rusty brown bodies without the red crowns. Overall, the adult Sandhill Cranes are grey. However, they are usually stained with mud due to their tendency to stay near water, so they often look ochre. Usually, males weigh around 10 pounds, while females weigh closer to 9 pounds.
DISTRIBUTION & OCCURENCE IN THE LAND OF LIVING SKIES
Sandhill Cranes prefer wetlands such as marshes, bogs, and wet meadows. They also inhabit fields and prairies during migration and in winter.
eBird Bar Charts & Map Grid
CONSERVATION STATUS – International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Category
The Sandhill Crane is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN.
Redlist Classification Justification: This species has an extremely large range, the population trend appears to be increasing, and the population size is very large. For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Reflections of the Natural World 
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