Sandhill Cranes

When we were in Yellowstone early in the year we saw a lot of Sandhill Cranes, these on the west side of the lower loop. They were making a racket and soon moved into the woods where they began their mating dance, something we watched but had trouble photographing because of the surrounding trees. The last inset was the only decent photo I had of their mating ritual. When we first saw them and before they moved off into the trees, they were engaged in "unison calling," described elsewhere as a "synchronized and complex duet." Their calls were very loud and could be heard over a long distance.