WATER BIRDS. 149 
and even flocks composed entirely of this species. Of late years adults 
are exceedinaly rare, and the last record we have of a Wisconsin capture is 
October, 1878, when a fine old bird was shot in Green county, and sent to 
Thure Kumlien. Newspaper and other reports of flocks of ‘White Cranes’ 
and of specimens shot in various parts of the state of late years, refer to the 
Greater Egret and not to this species” (Birds of Wisconsin, 1903, p. 36). 
The nesting habits are similar to those of the Sandhill Crane, the nest a 
rude structure of weeds and vegetable refuse on the ground, and the two 
eggs olive or olive buff spotted with brown and gray, and averaging 4.04 
by 2.50 inches. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Adult: Plumage entirely white, except the outer wing-feathers (primaries) which are 
black; top of head, lores and cheeks naked, usually reddish, and with a few scattered 
black ‘‘hairs.” Sexes alike. Young of the year, similar, but many feathers with yellowish 
brown tips, often giving a rusty tinge to the entire plumage; the whole head feathered. 
Length 50 to 54 inches; wing 22 to 25; culmen 5.35 to 5.80; tarsus 11 to 12. 
78. Sandhill Crane. Grus mexicana (Mull.). (206) 
Synonyms: Brown Crane, Upland Crane, Field Crane.—Ardea mexicana, Miill., 1776 
—Grus pratensis, Bartr., 1791.—Grus fusca (part) Vieill., 1817.—Grus canadensis, Nutt., 
1834, Baird, 1858, Coues, 1872, Ridgw., 1881. 
Figures 39 and 40. 
Comparison of the figures of the head of this species and that of the 
Great Blue Heron will enable the student to separate the two at a glance. 
The large size and_ general 
proportions make'it impos- 
sible to confound the bird 
with anything else but the 
Blue Heron, and from this 
species it can be readily 
separated by the bald head 
and the gray or brown 
plumage, which is never 
blue at any age. 
Distribution.— Southern 
half of North America; now 
rare near the Atlantic coast, 
except in Georgia and 
Florida. 
Now that the Wild Tur- 
key is extinct the Sandhill 
Crane probably is the 
heaviest wild bird found 
in the state, unless pos- 
sibly the Whistling Swan 
sometimes equals it. It 
is a decidedly larger bird 
in every way than the 
Blue Heron, with which it 
: d Fig. 39. Sandhill Crane. 
18 often confounded, an From Baird, Brewer and Ridgway’s Water Birds of North 
its weight is at least double America. (Little, Brown & Co.) 
