Brownish SANDHILL CRANES — in Alaska

We were puzzled when we first glimpsed these birds (and about half a dozen more) feeding in a lovely grassy field near the harbor in Kenai.  We really didn't need binoculars to tell that they had to be Sandhill Cranes.  

Everything about their shape, their size, their walk and their behavior was right.  

 

  

Except that we had never seen them with reddish-brown feathers before.  

We've  watched these guys in New Mexico, in Utah, in Texas, and in Florida … maybe other places too … but they've always always had gray/white plumage.

 

 

 

We took a ton of pictures of course.

 

 

 And did some research later when we downloaded the photos.  Here's what we found on the National Wildlife Federation's  site:

 

"Although the feathers are gray, sometimes they can have a reddish-brown appearance. The reason for the change in color is that sandhill cranes preen themselves by rubbing mud on their feathers. The mud can be brown or red. The red mud comes from iron rich environments."

 

 

 At three to four feet tall with a wing-span that can be over 5 feet, sandhills are always an impressive bird.  I think maybe even more so in their ocher "dye job" which certainly made them stand out in their green field.      

 

 LINKING TO:  Stuart's WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY and Annie's BIRD D'POT (on Saturday).    Thank you both for hosting!!!