Sandhill Crane Display Dictionary

Christy Yuncker Happ and George M. Happ are a pair of scientists in Fairbanks, Alaska, who have spent more than a decade closely observing a nesting pair of sandhill cranes.  And for those of us who enjoy crane viewing, they have compiled their research into a beautiful and informative pocket guide, the Sandhill Crane Display Dictionary--What Cranes Say with their Body Language.

More than 50 crane behaviors are illustrated and described in this informative guide, including the sequence of events that occur from the first month of nesting all the way through the parents' training of their young colt to dance, fly, and roost away from territory in preparation for migration.

Do you know what it means when a crane ruffles its feathers?  Or how to tell the difference between a preening ruffle and a ruffle that is intended to display a threat to another crane?  Details of these subtle communication differences are included in this guide, a handy reference designed to heighten your observation skills and increase your understanding and enjoyment of crane viewing.

Dancing is a crane behavior that many are familiar with, but did you also know that cranes train their young chicks to dance with them at an early age?  The guide takes you through a crane dance, naming and illustrating the different postures and explaining the meaning of this behavior in crane communication.  

In addition to its photographic detail, this accordion style dictionary describes eight key things to watch for as you try to understand sandhill crane behavior in the field. Guaranteed to enrich your crane viewing experience, this guide is a winner.  You will want to have it in your pocket the next time you visit a crane breeding or staging area!

For more information about the guide visit Christy Yuncker's Photo Journal.
The Sandhill Crane Display Dictionary is also available at Amazon.