274 GAME BIBDS OF CALIFORNIA 



on neck and chest, while cheeks and throat are usually lighter, sometimes 

 almost white; a rusty brown wash often covers parts of plumage; legs and feet 

 black. Males: Total length 35.50-39.50 inches (901-1,003 mm.) (three speci- 

 mens from Alaska); folded wing 17.40-20.20 (442-513); bill along culmen 3.22- 

 3.98 (81.8-101.0); tarsus 6.58-8.35 (167-212) (nine specimens from California 

 and Alaska). Females: Total length 33.70 (856) (one specimen from Califor- 

 nia); folded wing 17.90-19.12 (455-486); bill along culmen 3.66-3.78 (92.8- 

 96.0); tarsus 7.20-8.45 (183-215) (three specimens from California). Juvenile 

 plumage: Similar to that of adult, but head entirely gray-feathered; back of 

 head and neck with a rusty brown patch, and same tone conspicuous on feather 

 margins of back and wing coverts. Natal plumage: Not known to us. 



Marks for field identification — Large size, standing about three feet, 

 long neck and black legs, and general bluish gray coloration, without any 

 contrasted markings; forehead unfeathered in adults (fig. 45) ; neck straight out in 

 flight, not drawn in or "crooked" as with Herons. With us in winter usually 

 in flocks, rather than singly. The only distinguishing mark between the Little 

 Brown and Sandhill cranes is size; see measurements of latter beyond. 



Voice — "A loud, hard, rolling Jc-r-roo Tfr-r-r-roo, Mc-lcr-r-roo" (Nelson, 1887, 

 p. 94). 



Nest — A slight hollow in ground sprinkled with grass or twigs. 



Eggs — 2, elongately ovate in shape, measuring in inches, 3.29 to 3.88 by 

 2.10 to 2.34 (in millimeters, 83.6 to 98.4 by 53.3 to 59.4), and averaging 3.62 

 by 2.25 (91.9 by 57.2) (nineteen eggs from Alaska); color light buffy or olive 

 brown, spotted and blotched, most thickly at large end, with reddish brown, 

 grayish brown, and lavender; these markings have a distinctly longitudinal 

 trend. 



General distribution — North America. Breeds from northern and western 

 Alaska east to Baffin Land and central Keewatin; migrates south along the 

 Pacific coast and through the interior of the United States, wintering from 

 California and Texas south to Jalisco, Mexico. Has been recorded in summer 

 from eastern Siberia (Cooke, 1914, pjj. 7-9). 



Distribution in California — Common migrant through interior portions of 

 the state. Remains throughout winter in varying numbers north at least 

 through San Joaquin Valley. Does not as a rule visit seacoast or affect 

 vicinity of alkali lakes, preferring open plains or vicinity of fresh water. 



The cranes are among the largest of the long-legged game birds 

 occurring in California. Their well-known rolling cries as they pass 

 to and fro in migration most often bring them to popular notice. 

 Because of their extreme shyness and habit of foraging far out on 

 open plains they are usually successful in eluding the hunter, and, in 

 spite of the good quality of their flesh, have come nearer maintaining 

 their numbers than many smaller species. Among the near relatives 

 of the Little Brown Crane only the closely similar Sandhill Crane can 

 lay proper claim to a place among California birds. It is true that 

 the Whooping Crane (Grus americana) , of much larger size and chiefly 

 white plumage, was thought by Belding (1891, p. 99 ; also MS) to have 

 been seen by him on two or more occasions, in flight, in Butte and 

 Sutter counties. But no specimens of this species from anywhere west 

 of the Rocky Mountains are preserved in any museum. 



