Spring Dance of the Sandhill Cranes

Enamel on Copper

$5000.00

Sand Hill Cranes annually return to the same spot, and Door County is 
one of their major sites as well as 3 other marsh preserves in 
Wisconsin.  Their life story is so amazing here are some highlights: they 
mate for life when 4 years old with the wildest party possible--loud 
hooting, dancing, jumping even 5 to 8 feet off the ground with joy.  
In my painting one female (slightly smaller) is getting interested and 
soon will join the male in one of the greatest mating dances I know.  
The couple mates for life and usually lives for 20-30 years, returning 
to the same place from their southern winter haven to build a nest 
near open water and hatch one to two eggs.  If something happens and a 
predator gets the egg, they simply try again.  The family travels 
together not only when living here but as they fly south.  The 
bachelor gang sometimes sticks together right before mating time and I 
can imagine what they talk about!