Sandhill Cranes

These magnificent birds were once on the path to extinction but conservation efforts have seen their numbers grow:

4 to 5 feet high, with a wingspan of up to 7 feet, they are graceful and efficient flyers:

About twenty miles north of Flippist World Headquarters is a sand dunes nature area where, in October, you can catch them flying in formation as they return to their roosting areas every evening, gathering in preparation for their annual migration.

They have a burbling cry as they fly, the patterns of their formations are almost hypnotic:

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