Nurturing Natives- Sandhill Crane

Every year in the US, upwards of 600,000 sandhill cranes migrate south during the cool autumn months of September - November, and thousands can be spotted passing through Michigan! In fact, I took the reference photo for this illustration at UofM’s own Matthaei Botanical Gardens, where a pair have been hanging around Willow Pond in the evening! This birds also bear a striking resemblance to ancient dinosaurs, and are even considered living fossils as the oldest sandhill crane remains found were dated to be around 2.5 million years old! Keep an eye for their broad wingspan and striking red caps as they fly overhead!