Sandhill Crane Nest Camera Highlights 2024
Check out these short highlight videos taken from our live Nest Camera. As new highlight videos are created, they will be added to the top of this page. All these videos are on our YouTube Channel: Colorado Cranes.
Nest Defense Raccoon
Athena alerts as a raccoon skirts the nesting area, but the raccoon wisely keeps on moving.
Night Nest Defense
Athena alerts to approaching, and persistent, nighttime predators (likely, raccoons). Rocky joins her to fight them off. Even the geese get involved! Rocky is much more active this season with night time nest defense.
Quiet Nest Switch
Enjoy this close-up view of Rocky and Athena quietly changing places on the nest.
Noisy Nest Switch
Sometimes Rocky and Athena are noisy when they switch places on the nest!
Goose Fly-By
Our Nest Camera Cranes are neighbors with a pair of Canada Geese who appear to be nesting in the same wetland. In this video we see a couple of close encounters that briefly rattle our incubating crane — but then it’s back to business as usual.
Night Nest Watch
While Athena always incubates at night, Rocky has frequently been seen this year roosting nearby and keeping a watch for predators. Here he appears to have spotted something that requires his intervention, and off he stalks.
Athena and 2 Eggs
Close-up view of Athena preening and rolling the two eggs.
Mallard, Geese, and Cranes
Wetlands provide breeding habitat for geese, pelicans, cormorants, ducks, and more for a total of 82 bird species in Colorado!
Sandhill Crane Pair Teamwork
This highlight video displays the intense teamwork of the crane pair. They build up the nest, preen, incubate, and roll the eggs as part of their daily routine during nesting.
Shift Change
Rocky flies in and unison calling can be heard. They continue to build up the nest and he resumes incubating duties.
Wild Goose Chase Off
Athena defends the nest using her large wings from 2 bold geese. Cranes have 3 strong defense mechanisms: their large wings can deliver powerful blows, their feet have razor sharp nails and their long bill serves as a dagger.
Devoted Nighttime Father
Rocky offers nearby support and protection to Athena and the eggs. He can be seen approximately 20’0 away. The behavior of roosting this close is rarely seen.
Athena Crane Call
Athena apparently sleeping, sits up awake as she hears Rocky calling in the distance. She responds, and in the morning light, you can see her breath vapor rise from her beak as she calls. A beautiful moment!
3 Unison Calls at Nest Switch
Athena enters from right, 3 unison calls before switching shifts. Rocky exits to the left. Athena tends nest and settles in to brood.
Second Egg Laid
At 6:46 am on April 18th, Athena proudly laid the second egg, pushed it over to the first egg, and continued her incubation duties.
Nest Building in the Snow
Shortly after Athena lays her first egg, the weather turns nasty and it starts to snow. This doesn’t stop Athena from working on her nest.
Afternoon Nest Building 4/16/24
After laying the first egg, Athena begins to create a nest to surround the egg.
Egg Laying
Despite significant winds, Athena squats to lay her first egg on April 15 at 2:04 pm. After the egg is laid, Rocky hurries in from the wings to celebrate with Athena!
Copulation
After chasing off the rival pair, the winners of the territory copulate!
Crouching and Territorial Behavior
Two crane pairs (Rocky and Athena? Wilma and Fred?) compete for the same territory. Both pairs engage in “crouch threats” where they sit on the ground, as though to exclaim “this is my territory and I’m nesting here!”