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A Primer on the Beautiful Cranes of North America


Cranes are similar to herons, which also have long legs and long necks,
but they are not closely related. Cranes fly with their necks fully
extended, whereas herons, once they have attained their full flight speed,
pull their heads back so that the neck is bent in an S-curve.


The only true North American cranes, are the sandhill crane and
whooping crane.

Members of the crane family include limpkins, rails, gallinules and coots.


Cranes are birds of open country, marshes, meadows, prairies, and
tundra.

They feed on small animals and vegetable matter.

They are notable for their elaborate courtship dances, by which the
pair bond is established.

Picture of Cranes



Cranes belong to the family Gruidae of the order Gruiformes.


Types of North American Cranes Include:

Sandhill Crane
Whooping Crane


Closely related North American birds include:

American Coot
Black Rail
Clapper Rail
Common Moorhen
Corn Crake
King Rail
Limpkin
Purple Gallinule
Sora
Virginia Rail
Yellow Rail


Index of North American Birds


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