# Grus canadensis pratensis The Whooping Crane is a tall, elegant bird known for its beautiful white feathers and long legs. They are famous for their loud, trumpeting calls and are a symbol of conservation efforts. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Whooping Crane ![Grus canadensis pratensis](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sandhill_Crane_with_Chick.jpg&width=800) Photo: Kyletracysrs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sandhill_Crane_with_Chick.jpg) ## Appearance The Grus canadensis pratensis is a tall, elegant gray bird with long dark legs and a slender neck. Its most striking feature is a distinctive red cap on its head, contrasting with a white patch on its cheek. Its plumage is otherwise mostly plain gray. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Gruiformes - **Family:** Gruidae - **Genus:** Grus ## Interesting facts - Florida Sandhill Cranes mate for life and are devoted parents to their chicks. - Sometimes, they "paint" their feathers with mud, giving them a rusty color. - Their young are called "colts" and can leave the nest just hours after hatching. - They can live longer than many pets, reaching over 20 years old! ## Special abilities - **Wetland Wader:** Grus canadensis pratensis has incredibly long legs that help them wade through shallow waters to find food and stay safe from predators. - **Courtship Choreographer:** Grus canadensis pratensis performs elaborate dances with jumps and bows to find a mate and strengthen their pair bond. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 100-120 cm - **Wingspan:** 170-200 cm - **Weight:** 3-6.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-25 years - **Speed:** 65 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-2 - **Incubation:** 29-32 days - **Migration Distance:** 0 km ## Diet & Feeding This omnivore eats a variety of plants, insects, and small animals found in wetlands and fields. - **Age differences:** Young cranes (colts) eat more protein-rich insects to grow quickly. - **Primary Foods:** grains, seeds, roots, insects, snails, frogs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Alligator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-alligator) (*Alligator mississippiensis*) — Eggs and chicks are prey for this reptile. - **Eaten by:** [Bobcat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bobcat) (*Lynx rufus*) — Adults and chicks can be prey for bobcats. - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Eats crane eggs and sometimes young chicks. - **Eats:** [Southern Leopard Frog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/southern-leopard-frog) (*Lithobates sphenocephalus*) — Cranes hunt and eat various frogs. - **Eats:** [Eastern Lubber Grasshopper](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-lubber-grasshopper) (*Romalea microptera*) — Cranes eat many types of insects. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Grus canadensis pratensis? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Grus canadensis pratensis? 100-120 cm ### What is Grus canadensis pratensis's wingspan? 170-200 cm ### How much does Grus canadensis pratensis weigh? 3-6.5 kg ### How long does Grus canadensis pratensis live? 20-25 years ### How fast can Grus canadensis pratensis move? 65 km/h ### What does Grus canadensis pratensis eat? This omnivore eats a variety of plants, insects, and small animals found in wetlands and fields. ### Where is Grus canadensis pratensis usually found? Wetlands ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Grus canadensis pratensis: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/grus-canadensis-pratensis)