Sandhill cranes are large birds in the crane family that are known for their striking plumage. Their coloring can vary depending on the subspecies, but generally sandhill cranes have gray bodies, red foreheads, white cheeks, and long dark wingtips. Their plumage plays an important role in mating displays and camouflage. But what are the specifics when it comes to sandhill crane coloration?
What are the colors of a sandhill crane’s body?
The body feathers of a sandhill crane are predominantly gray. This gray coloration helps provide camouflage when the birds are standing amongst vegetation. The shade of gray can range from light silvery-gray to charcoal gray depending on the subspecies and individual. Their wing and tail feathers are a darker slate gray verging on black, which provides contrast from the paler body plumage. The feathers of juveniles tend to be dingier brown-gray before taking on the more pure gray tone of adults. When standing, the long dark wingtips crossing over the back are a distinctive feature.
What color is a sandhill crane’s head and neck?
Sandhill cranes have bare red skin on their forehead, face, and foreneck. This bare patch of skin is known as a rosy-red lore and provides stark visual contrast with the cool gray plumage. The bright red coloration results from multiple blood vessels located close to the surface of the skin. The blood vessels can engorge during mating displays as part of visual signaling. The red coloration starts above the crane’s bill and extends back across the forehead and face to the eyes and down the neck in front of the gray feathers. The red patch ends about halfway down the neck.
Do sandhill cranes have any other distinctive coloring?
In addition to the rosy-red lore, sandhill cranes also have distinctive white cheek patches on the sides of their heads. These white feathers stand out against the red lore and gray feathers. The white cheek patches start near the base of the bill and curve up towards the eye and back around the ear coverts. The contrast makes these white cheek patches very visually striking during mating displays when the head is maneuvered.
Sandhill cranes also often have darker gray feathers forming a “bustle” over the tail coverts. The bustle isn’t very noticeable when the tail is folded, but becomes more visible during breeding displays when the tail is fanned upward. Juveniles lack the colored bustle feathers, having plain gray coverts instead.
How does sandhill crane coloration vary between subspecies?
There are six subspecies of sandhill cranes that show some variation in size and color intensity:
Greater sandhill crane
The largest subspecies with pale gray plumage and paler cheeks. Greaters have the least contrast between the gray, red, and white colors. Their lore is more orangey-red.
Florida sandhill crane
Smaller than greaters with darker gray plumage and high contrast between the rich red lore, bright white cheeks, and slate gray feathers.
Mississippi sandhill crane
Similar size and coloration to Florida sandhill cranes with more vivid red on their lore and gray bustle feathers.
Canadian sandhill crane
Mid-sized subspecies with intermediate coloration between greater and Florida/Mississippi cranes. Their dark gray feathers have brownish wash.
Lesser sandhill crane
Smallest subspecies with medium gray plumage and moderate contrast between facial skin colors. Their small size makes the red lore and white cheeks more pronounced.
Cuban sandhill crane
Similar in size to Florida cranes, but with paler gray plumage like the greaters. Their lore is red-orange and cheeks very white.
Subspecies | Size | Plumage Color | Lore Color | Cheek Color |
---|---|---|---|---|
Greater | Largest | Pale gray | Orangey red | Paler white |
Florida | Smaller | Dark slate gray | Vivid red | Bright white |
Mississippi | Florida-sized | Dark slate gray | Vivid red | Bright white |
Canadian | Mid-sized | Gray with brown wash | Duller red | Duller white |
Lesser | Smallest | Medium gray | Moderate red | Moderate white |
Cuban | Florida-sized | Pale gray | Red-orange | Very white |
Why do sandhill cranes have colorful heads?
The red, white, and gray coloration pattern on a sandhill crane’s head serves multiple functions. The most important reason is signaling during mating displays. The high contrast helps the colors stand out as the crane dances, bows, jumps, and calls to potential mates. The bare red skin also allows for dynamic changes as the blood vessels engorge to alter the intensity of the color.
Secondly, the pale cheek patches may help with visual communication, acting as a signal to other cranes that can be seen over longer distances. The contrast makes the heads more visible. Finally, the red lore may also play a role in aggressive displays, becoming brighter when a crane is agitated or defending territory. Overall, the colorful heads of sandhill cranes are used both for mating purposes and visual signaling within flocks.
Do males and females have different coloration?
Male and female sandhill cranes have identically colored plumage. The sexes are monomorphic, meaning they cannot be distinguished based on feathers alone. The red lore, white cheeks, and gray feathers with the bustled tail coverts are present in both males and females. However, males tend to be slightly larger than females in size. Researchers sometimes use size dimorphism to help sex individuals when both are present, but color is not a sexually dimorphic trait in sandhill cranes.
How do chicks differ in coloration from adults?
Sandhill crane chicks have a distinctive appearance compared to the mature adults. Newly hatched chicks are covered in fluffy buff-colored down. Their bodies appear golden tan all over. The down provides insulation and camouflage in the nest environment. As chicks grow over their first summer, their juvenile plumage starts to come in. Juveniles look similar to adults, but with some notable differences:
- Their body feathers are a dingy brownish-gray rather than pure gray
- The legs are pinkish rather than dark gray
- Their lore starts out gray before turning red
- They lack a colored bustle over the rump
As juveniles mature through their first fall and winter, their adult coloring will gradually emerge leading to those striking red, white, and gray feathers. The full adult plumage doesn’t complete until around 2 years old. The juvenile plumage with subdued colors provides an intermediate phase as the young cranes develop.
When do sandhill cranes molt and change feathers?
Sandhill cranes have a complete molt of their feathers each year in late summer. Their molting schedule is precisely timed. All adult cranes within a population will start molting at around the same time and progress together through the process.
The annual molt begins in early to mid-July in the northern parts of their range. Southern populations start molting later, in August or September. Molting happens rapidly, taking 30-40 days from start to finish. Because molting leaves the cranes temporarily flightless, they synchronize for safety in numbers and time it to avoid chick rearing.
By late October, all adults will have replaced their old worn feathers with fresh plumage. Juveniles also undergo partial molts through their first three years to gradually transition to adult feathers. With new feathers grown in each molt, sandhill cranes renew their colorful heads and elegant gray plumage annually.
Do sandhill crane colors fade as birds age?
The red head coloring and gray feathers of sandhill cranes can fade somewhat as the birds age. The following changes tend to occur in older cranes after several years:
- The red lore loses some vibrancy, becoming duller orangey-pink
- The white cheek patches grow smaller and less conspicuous
- Their gray body feathers become dingier and stained
- The black wingtips and tail feathers appear worn and frayed at the ends
However, these changes are temporary. Thanks to the annual complete molt, older cranes will regenerate a fresh set of feathers with renewed coloration each summer. Their colors are restored to full brightness after molting. Changes like reduced color intensity only become apparent right before molting as feathers reach maximum wear. So while subtle fading happens, annual replacement ensures adult sandhill cranes maintain their beautiful coloring.
Why do sandhill cranes have gray feathers?
The dove gray to charcoal gray feathers of sandhill cranes serve an important purpose: camouflage. When standing still amongst vegetation, their predominant gray coloring allows sandhill cranes to blend into the background very effectively. This helps conceal the birds from potential predators when resting or nesting in open marshes and grasslands.
The cool gray tone matches dried vegetation and reeds. A bit of dappled light or shadows helps the cranes disappear against a salt marsh or meadow when seen from a distance. The dark slate wingtips breaking up the body outline also help the camouflage effect when the bird is stationary with wings folded. While not in motion, those gray feathers enable cranes to remain unseen by blending into their surroundings.
How does coloration change between juveniles and adults?
Sandhill crane chicks start out covered in fluffy tan down before developing their juvenile plumage. Compared to the striking colors of adults, juveniles appear much more subdued and camouflaged. Here are the main differences between juveniles and adults:
- Dingy brown-gray vs. light silvery-gray body feathers
- Lack of colored bustle over the tail
- Buffy nape of the neck instead of red
- No white cheek patches
- Legs are pinkish rather than gray-black
These plumage differences help juveniles hide in plain sight while they are vulnerable young birds. Without bright white cheeks or strong color contrasts, juveniles blend into wetland environments more easily. Their duller colors also avoid drawing unwanted attention from potential predators. Gradually through partial molts, they will transition to the vivid adult plumage.
Comparison of Juvenile and Adult Sandhill Crane Coloration
Plumage Area | Juvenile Color | Adult Color |
---|---|---|
Body feathers | Brown-gray | Silvery-gray |
Back of neck | Buffy reddish | Bright red |
Cheeks | No white | Bold white patches |
Tail coverts | Plain gray feathers | Dark gray bustle |
Legs | Pinkish | Dark gray |
Do the colors vary throughout the year as seasons change?
Sandhill cranes maintain their distinctive coloration year-round without significant seasonal variations. However, a few subtle changes can occur:
- In winter, the red lore may become obscured by mud or dirt staining
- Brighter breeding colors emerge with new feather growth after molting in summer
- The white cheek patches can glow more vividly against darker neck skin in breeding season
- Darker gray feather tips fade from abrasion and sun bleaching by late summer
Overall though, sandhill cranes display their definitive red, white, and gray colors continuously without undergoing dramatic shifts between seasons or molts. The constancy allows their plumage colors to remain equally effective for camouflage and signaling purposes throughout the year.
Do any other bird species share similar coloring with sandhill cranes?
While sandhill cranes have a distinctly recognizable look, a few other bird species share some similar red, white, and gray coloring characteristics:
- Whooping cranes have nearly identical plumage but are solid white in body coloration.
- Blue cranes also have bare red skin on their heads and darker wingtips.
- Some breeds of swans such as mute swans have orange bills and facial skin.
- Red-crowned cranes sport vivid red accents on their head plumage.
- Hooded cranes feature impressive black and white facial markings.
- Emus share long dark gray wing feathers over a paler body.
These similarities occur because all the listed birds belong to the same taxonomic order (Gruiformes). Shared ancestry explains their similarities in colors of bare skin, bills, and plumage. No other North American bird combines all the same palette of silvery-gray, bright red, and clean white quite like the handsome sandhill crane though. Their colors make them unique while also showing relatedness with other cranes around the world.
Conclusion
With their striking red lore, bright white cheeks, and elegant gray plumage, sandhill cranes are beautifully adorned birds. Their coloring plays an integral role in mating displays, flock communication, and camouflage. Crane colors also vary subtly between the different subspecies and help distinguish juveniles from adults. While some fading happens annually, sandhill cranes renew their dazzling colors each molt. Their distinctive appearance makes the sandhill crane one of the most visually charismatic wetland birds in North America.