ML623809340

Observation details

Mostly white crane hanging out with Sandhills. Obviously first thought was Whooping Crane, but features were not consistent with a pure Whooping Crane. Head pattern was consistent with Sandhill, not Whooping. Had splotches of Sandhill-colored gray on neck, body, and wings (no tawny splotches as would be expected for juvenile Whooping). Was marginally larger than adjacent Sandhill cranes, but not dramatically. I would expect a Whooping Crane to be obviously larger. Had dark wingtips (much darker than Sandhills) but not did not show the clean demarcation between black wingtips and white underwing that Whooping should show--black seemed to fade to gray and then white on underwing. Did not appear to be banded. Watched for about 10 minutes shortly after dawn, then it flew off with the other cranes. Possible hybrid Sandhill x Whooping? Seems likely that this was the same bird reported and photographed on 6.23.2024 (checklist S183260143).