The sight of birds flying across the sky has inspired generations. Poets have immortalized the sight of birds in flight in their poems. Artists have painted or sculpted the sight itself as best they can, trying to capture the awe of the moment. For many everyday folk, the sound of the bird calls and the sight of the flock overhead causes pause...and maybe prayers that the birds don't...well...drop surprises onto the people below. For me, they planted a desire to fly with them in my heart when I was a little kid. When birds fly towards a sunset, the scene is especially majestic. Here are some examples:
You may notice that none of these pictures include a whooping crane (which look like this):
This may be because this big, beautiful bird is an endangered species. Here are more facts about the whooping crane (thank you to Wikipedia for this information):
-Its scientific name is Grus americana.
-They can live 22-24 years in the wild.
-Their wingspan stretches up to 7 1/2 feet wide.
-They have very loud calls that can carry several miles.
-Remaining populations tend to be in the southeast United States although maps point to some birds residing in the Great Lakes area for breeding.
-The bird nearly went extinct in the 1940's because of habitat loss; even with conservation efforts it is still the rarest bird in North America.
-These cranes are omnivores, eating corn and grains along with frogs, insects, fish, and rodents, depending on their environment. They tend towards meat more than grains in most cases.
-The birds have territories and they defend them using their loud calls.
Yes, they do stand up to 5 feet tall and are the tallest bird on this continent. Personally, I cannot imagine meeting a bird that's head reaches my shoulders. Still, I hope these birds are around for years to come.
I leave you today with a joke involving the whooping crane:
A hiker was lost in the woods and had not eaten for days. On the brink of starvation, he spotted a Bald Eagle, caught it, killed it, and began cooking it. Suddenly a park ranger appeared and arrested the hiker on the spot for killing an endangered animal. In court, the hiker explains to the judge that he had no other alternative or he would have died.
"All right, I will let you go this time," the judge warns, "but I'd better not catch you in here again."
"Yes, Your Honor," the hiker replies.
"I have to ask one question," the judges continues, curious, "just what did it taste like?"
"Well, Your Honor," the hiker responds, "It tasted like a cross between a whooping crane and a spotted owl."
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