Birds have been called “bellwethers of watershed health.” Because they respond to basic changes in landscape and habitat conditions, birds can be excellent indicators of watershed health.
Roger Tory Peterson, an American naturalist who published many books about birds and garnered multiple awards in his field, once said “Birds are an ecological litmus paper. Because of their rapid metabolism and wide geographic range, they reflect changes in the environment quickly and they warn us of things out of balance, sending out signals whenever there is deterioration in the ecosystem.”
GLA’s Watershed Biologist Rob Karner, a former ornithology instructor, helps the GLA monitor our bird variety, patterns, and health as a potential leading indicator of overall watershed health. The robust variety and health of our year-round resident birds and migratory birds points to a healthy watershed, and we want to introduce you to some of them.
This is a sandhill crane, which can often be seen on the west shore of Little Glen Lake, near the picnic area. Sandhill cranes are known to frequent the edges of bodies of water. They nest in the wetlands across South Dune Highway, just north of the Dune Climb.
The sandhill crane is a species of large crane that can grow up to six feet tall, so they are conspicuous and one of the easier birds to spot in our watershed. They are also quite vocal when they fly, so they will catch your attention in the sky. They frequently give a loud, trumpeting call that suggests a rolled “r” in the throat, and they can be heard from a long distance.
Mated pairs of cranes engage in “unison calling.” The cranes stand close together, calling in a synchronized and complex duet. The female makes two calls for every one call from the male. During breeding season, males attract females with a dance that includes bowing, leaping, and wing flapping. The cranes may also spin 180 degrees in the air and kick their legs. Sandhill cranes mate for life, but they often return to their breeding grounds to practice their dance.
Sandhill cranes’ large wingspans, typically five to seven feet, make them very skilled soaring birds, similar in style to hawks and eagles. Using thermals to obtain lift, they can stay aloft for many hours, requiring only occasional flapping of their wings, thus expending little energy. They migrate south for the winter and in their wintering areas, they form flocks over 10,000.