Parent and Child, Sandhill Cranes, Bosque Del Apache

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As sandhill cranes mature their plumage darkens and they gain the bright red forehead of their parents. It takes about two years for a sandhill crane to reach maturity, and they migrate with their parents until they begin the search for a mate of their own. In this image a nearly adult crane is flying below one of its parents as the sun rises over New Mexico's Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Because males and females have a virtually identical appearance, it is impossible to determine which parent is shown.