Sandhill Cranes

Cranes arrive at their nesting grounds in early to mid-May. They nest on wet tundra, marshes, and muskegs. Their nests are often simple affairs — shallow depressions in the soil lined with dry grass and feathers. Normally, two eggs are laid but anywhere from one to three eggs is also seen. Eggs are spotted and gray to brown in color, with both sexes incubating them until they hatch after about 30 days. Nestlings are able to walk immediately after hatching. The young are frequently fed food items caught by the adults but can also capture insects on their own from an early age. In two to two-and-a-half months, the young have fledged and are ready to undertake the southward migration with their parents.