Little Brown Crane

( Originally Published Early 1900's )

Hardly to be distinguished from the last except in size is the Little Brown Crane (G. canadensis) of the extreme northern portions of the continent from Hudson's Bay to Alaska, whence it migrates through the western United States east of the Rocky Mountains to Mexico. It was formerly regarded as the young of the Sandhill Crane, but its length of about thirty-five inches together with a decidedly shorter tarsus are sufficient marks by which to distinguish it. This species was found by Dall to be a common bird at St. Michael's, Alaska, as well as at the mouth of the Yukon, where the eggs were deposited in a slight depression on the sandy beach without any pretense of a nest. Its habits and appearance are similar to those of the Sandhill Crane, with which it has often been confused.