Sandhill Cranes of Bernardo, New Mexico January 2018

During the first two weeks of January, I was completely immersed in the world of the Sandhill Crane. I observed and photographed these magnificent creatures, at Bernardo Wildlife Management Area in New Mexico where thousands of Cranes gather as they await their migration north to breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska.

This gathering of Cranes presents an opportunity to live amongst them and experience their marvelous behavior including mating rituals, “dancing”, acrobatic territorial fights, posturing, and trumpeting calls. Although I observed several episodes of mating dances, the predominate displays were aggressive interactions that seemed to be territorial and food related. Not unlike school kids fighting in a crowded recess yard, large flocks of Cranes in close quarters seemed to stimulate rowdy behavior that often culminated in leaping - full frontal - spurs up assaults. Vociferous calls, biting, feather ruffling, and strutting typically preceded aggressive interactions.
https://www.savingcranes.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/Level_4_Field_Guide_2006.pdf
https://www.savingcranes.org/species-field-guide/sandhill-crane/

Sandhill Cranes
The gathering of Cranes at Bernardo Wildlife Management Area is an opportunity to live amongst them and experience their marvelous behavior including mating rituals, “dancing”, acrobatic territorial fights, posturing, and trumpeting calls. Although I observed several episodes of mating dances, the predominate displays were aggressive interactions that seemed to be territorial and food related. Not unlike school kids fighting in a crowded recess yard, large flocks of Cranes in close quarters seemed to stimulate rowdy behavior that often culminated in leaping - full frontal - spurs up assaults. Vociferous calls, biting, feather ruffling, and strutting typically preceded aggressive interactions.
Antigone canadensis new mexico sandhill crane bernardo bird flock
Sandhill Cranes
Following vehement trumpeting, head bobbing, and posturing, the Cranes would leap into acrobatic confrontations without actual contact. Somehow their culminating arial contests resolve disagreement and temporarily subdue dissension. Bernardo Wildlife Management Area, New Mexico, January 2018. Canon 5D IV, 500mm f/4 IS, RRS TVC 33 tripod, ISO 640, 1/6400 second @ f/5.6.
sandhill crane grus canadensis bernardo new mexico
Sandhill Cranes
This gathering of Cranes presents an opportunity to live amongst them and experience their marvelous behavior including mating rituals, “dancing”, acrobatic territorial fights, posturing, and trumpeting calls. Although I observed several episodes of mating dances, the predominate displays were aggressive interactions that seemed to be territorial and food related. Not unlike school kids fighting in a crowded recess yard, large flocks of Cranes in close quarters seemed to stimulate rowdy behavior that often culminated in leaping - full frontal - spurs up assaults. Vociferous calls, biting, feather ruffling, and strutting typically preceded aggressive interactions.
Antigone canadensis new mexico sandhill crane bernardo bird flock
Sandhill Cranes
Raucous trumpeting was the most frequent form of intraspecies intimidation that I observed during my trip to Bernardo. Thousands of Cranes congregate in feeding areas; the close quarters invariably led to territory disputes and food squabbles. Bernardo Wildlife Management Area, New Mexico.
Antigone canadensis new mexico sandhill crane bernardo bird flock
Sandhill Cranes
I observed that Sandhill Crane aggression is more posturing and acrobatics than actual physical contact. I witnessed dozens of ninja-like kick boxing episodes and rarely observed actual physical contact among the combatants. On several occasions I did observe the beak grabbing behavior that is depicted in this image.
Antigone canadensis new mexico sandhill crane bernardo bird flock
Sandhill Cranes
Sandhill Cranes engage in elaborate dancing and mating rituals; pairs may hop, flap their wings, throw sticks, trumpet, and strut to mention a few of their complex social mating ritual behaviors.
Antigone canadensis new mexico sandhill crane bernardo bird flock
Sandhill Cranes
Thousands of Sandhill Cranes roosting on a pond line up and prepare for the morning fly out. The light was too low for me to achieve maximum depth of field so I focused on the middle of the flock rendering the majority of the birds slightly out of focus to create a soft impressionistic perspective. High ISO settings may allow the shutter speed necessary to freeze movement but increasing ISO compromises image quality and introduces noise.
Antigone canadensis new mexico sandhill crane bernardo bird flock
Sandhill Cranes
A 30 second exposure perspective of roosting Cranes as observed from the south elevated blind (hide) at Bernardo Wildlife Management Area, New Mexico. A long exposure created ghosting, a mosaic of colors and the flock's images are "etched" onto the surface of the water.
Antigone canadensis new mexico sandhill crane bernardo bird flock
Sandhill Cranes
A sunrise view from the south elevated hide of roosting Sandhill Cranes at Bernardo Wildlife Management Area, New Mexico. Under low light conditions maximizing depth of field is a compromise in terms of shutter speed and rendering moving subjects free from blur. In this situation DOF (depth of field) was the most important to me; the resulting image portraying subtle movement of a quietly roosting flock.
Antigone canadensis new mexico sandhill crane bernardo bird flock
Sandhill Cranes
I observed many instances of stick grabbing and throwing behavior amongst the flocks at Bernardo Wildlife Management Area, New Mexico. Cranes pick up and throw sticks as part of a complex social behavior that may be related to pair bonding or territory definition.
Antigone canadensis new mexico sandhill crane bernardo bird flock
Sandhill Crane
Photographed from one of the ground level blinds as a roosting Crane takes to flight from a pond at Bernardo Wildlife Management Area, New Mexico.
Antigone canadensis new mexico sandhill crane bernardo bird flock