Cranes

The long necks of these tall slender birds swivel this way and that looking for their mating partner, possible predators, and of course any sign of a delicious morsel that might be slipping by them. The serene space sews together earth, water and sky as birds descend from the clouds to walk in the muddy fields a frolic with friends beneath a warm golden sun. Surround yourself in a flock of tranquility, where not a machine nor mouth of man is heard. Most species of cranes are at least threatened, if not critically endangered, within their range. The plight of the Whooping Cranes of North America inspired some of the first US legislation to protect endangered species. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances". While folklore often states that cranes mate for life, recent scientific research indicates that these birds do change mates over the course of their lifetimes, which may last several decades. Cranes construct platform nests in shallow water, and typically lay two eggs at a time. Both parents help to rear the young, which remain with them until the next breeding season. This sound uses the following file from Freesound: http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=113980