The sandhill crane has the loudest vocalization of any bird I've ever been close to... why? According to the Colorado Crane Coalition: "Cranes have a highly developed communication system: to keep the family together, to signal danger and to reinforce the pair-bond. The unison call is a duet done by a breeding pair in which the male has a one-note call, and the female a two-note call. It is done in synchrony and can be heard up to a mile away. The guard call is usually one loud sharp note, and is given to alert other sandhills that an intruder is near. The cry of the sandhill crane is among the most distinctive sounds in the animal kingdom."
Very nice! I sure like that spot of red on the forehead. The Great Blue Herons that fly around our marina sound like pterodactyls. (had to look up that spelling)
Crane Coalition? :D