A juvenile Sandhill Crane walks past some decorative grass.
Crane usually lay one, two, or sometimes three eggs. The young birds remain with their parents almost a full year, until they are ready to start another brood.
But until then, the young birds follow their parents everywhere, and their parents watch for them carefully.
A subspecies of Sandhill Cranes are native to Florida, and live in the area year-round.
Cranes lay one or two eggs each season, and both parents raise the young cranes until it is time for them to lay eggs again.
Immature cranes have sparse, light brown feathers.
Cranes eat berries and fruit, as well as insects, small reptiles and lizards, and small fish and crustaceans, depending on what’s available.
Space Coast Photography Studios
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Two Central Florida photographers with an interest in nature, landscape, bird, flower, space, technology, and architecture photography.
A juvenile Sandhill Crane sits in front of a bush, almost resembling an awkward turkey.
A subspecies of Sandhill Cranes are native to Florida, and live in the area year-round.
Cranes lay one or two eggs each season, and both parents raise the young cranes until it is time for them to lay eggs again.
Immature cranes have sparse, light brown feathers.
Cranes eat berries and fruit, as well as insects, small reptiles and lizards, and small fish and crustaceans, depending on what’s available.
A Snowy Egret (Egretta Thula) comes in for a graceful landing in a brackish pond in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Snowy Egret preys on small fish, crustaceans, and insects in the marsh. Snowy Egrets in Central Florida usually stay year-round, or may just stay the winter and return north.
A Snowy Egret (Egretta Thula) in its high breeding plumage. The male egret builds a nest, often in colonies with other water fowl, including other herons and egrets, and then attempts to attract a mate by calling, making acrobatic aerial displays, fanning his trail, and showing his bold colors against his normally-white feathers.
This photo was taken at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. This site, full of alligators, is preferentially selected by the birds nesting here because the alligators keep them safe from other predators, and usually aren't interested in the birds as prey.
