LEARNING TO DANCE

 

The evening I returned to farm country, I saw three pairs of Sandhill Cranes.  All appeared to be non-breeding, meaning they had no young ones.  One pair was close to the roadside eating in a wheat field.  A few days later, I saw a family with a youngster who was already quite large.  The high point of the evening was when the cranes began to dance.  Dancing facilitates pair bonding and pre-adult cranes practice dancing for years before selecting a mate.  Parents educate their young by dancing with them.  Amazing to watch!