My photograph of a sandhill crane colt has been selected for The Times News in Pictures gallery a distinction that means a great deal to me. The Times puts it plainly: “Times editors select the best photos from around the world.” Competing alongside images from every corner of the globe, and making that cut, never gets old.
The Photo: A Sandhill Crane Colt Follows Its Mother
The official caption reads: A Sandhill Crane chick, known as a colt, can walk and feed itself within eight hours of hatching. This one follows its mother at Orlando Wetlands Park in Christmas, Florida.
What Makes Sandhill Crane Colts So Extraordinary
Sandhill cranes belong to a group of birds called precocial species. Precocial chicks hatch in an advanced state of development. They arrive ready to move. This sets them apart dramatically from most songbirds or wading birds, whose chicks hatch helpless and blind.
Here is what makes sandhill crane colts so remarkable.
They walk within hours. Most bird chicks spend weeks in the nest before standing. A sandhill crane colt walks within eight hours of breaking out of the egg. This ability protects it immediately from ground predators.
They feed themselves almost immediately. The colt does not wait for a parent to deliver food. It pecks at the ground and learns to forage within its first day of life. Parents guide it toward food sources, but the colt does the work itself.
They stay close to their parents for months. Despite their independence, colts remain with both parents through their first year. The family unit travels, forages, and migrates together. This long bond is one of the defining traits of sandhill crane family life.
Their rusty-red coloring fades quickly. Newly hatched colts display warm reddish-brown down. That coloring gradually transitions to the gray adult plumage over the following months. The colt in this image still carries that early coloring, another reason timing matters when photographing them.
Orlando Wetlands Park: An Exceptional Location for Sandhill Crane Photography
Orlando Wetlands Park in Christmas, Florida is one of the finest wildlife photography destinations in the state. The 1,800-acre park hosts a remarkable diversity of species. Sandhill cranes nest and raise their young here throughout the spring season.
The park’s design works in a photographer’s favor. Open berms run along the water’s edge. They give you elevated sightlines across the wetland flats where cranes forage and move. Early morning light falls cleanly across those open areas. That combination of access, light, and wildlife density is rare.
Sandhill crane families use the open grassland areas around the park’s perimeter. They forage in the early morning and return to wetland areas as the day heats up. Arriving at sunrise gives you the best chance of finding families in the open with good light behind you.
I lead Florida wildlife photography tours at Orlando Wetlands and across the state. The sandhill crane nesting season is one of my favorite times to be in the field here.
The Times News in Pictures: Why This Feature Matters
The Times is one of the world’s most respected newspapers. Its News in Pictures gallery draws on images from major international wire services. Each selection reflects editorial judgment at the highest level. Wildlife and nature images compete directly with news photography from conflict zones, world events, and cultural moments.
Having a sandhill crane colt image earn a place in that gallery tells me something important. Strong wildlife photography communicates something universal. It does not need a news hook to resonate. The colt following its mother says something about survival, family, and the first hours of life that speaks across languages and borders.
This feature follows a strong run of international publications this month. My spoonbill chick photograph appeared in The Guardian’s Photos of the Day on March 25. My spoonbill chicks image appeared in The Week Magazine’s Best Photos of the Week the same week. Each publication brings Florida’s wildlife to a global audience. That reach is one of the reasons I continue to invest deeply in this work.
Why Sandhill Crane Photography in Florida Deserves More Attention
Most visitors to Florida focus on herons, egrets, and spoonbills. Sandhill cranes are sometimes overlooked. That is a mistake. They are extraordinary subjects.
Their size commands attention. Adult sandhill cranes stand nearly four feet tall. They move with a deliberate, unhurried grace that translates beautifully in photographs. Their red forehead patch adds a vivid point of color against the soft gray plumage.
During nesting season, their behavior becomes especially compelling. Adults perform loud, synchronized calling displays. They defend territories aggressively. And they guide their colts with a patient, watchful presence that makes for deeply engaging field observation.
I encourage any photographer visiting Florida in spring to spend time watching sandhill crane families. You do not need a long lens to appreciate them. But with the right equipment and approach, you can make images that compete with the best bird photography anywhere in the world.
Photograph Florida Wildlife with Ronen
If you want to photograph sandhill cranes, spoonbills, herons, and the full range of Florida’s wading birds, I offer private one-on-one workshops and small group tours throughout the state. I tailor every session to your skill level and goals.
On a tour with me, you learn to read animal behavior before raising your camera. You develop the field instincts that produce compelling images, not just sharp ones. And you leave with a deeper understanding of the ecosystems you are photographing.
Spring is the peak season for nesting activity across Florida. Dates fill quickly. Reach out now to check availability.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sandhill Cranes in Florida
Where can I see sandhill crane chicks in Florida? Orlando Wetlands Park, Lakeland, and many central Florida parks and golf courses host nesting sandhill crane pairs each spring. Colts appear from late February through April in most years.
How quickly do sandhill crane colts develop? Sandhill crane colts walk and feed themselves within eight hours of hatching. They remain with their parents for up to a year, traveling with the family through their first migration.
What is the best time of day to photograph sandhill cranes? Early morning is ideal. Families forage actively in low light and move more slowly than later in the day. The golden-hour light also produces warmer, richer tones in photographs.
Can I photograph sandhill cranes without a long lens? Yes. Sandhill cranes tolerate closer approach than most wading birds. However, a 400mm or longer lens gives you frame-filling portraits and keeps a respectful distance from nesting families.
Do sandhill cranes in Florida migrate? Florida has both resident and migratory sandhill crane populations. The Florida sandhill crane subspecies (Antigone canadensis pratensis) lives here year-round. Larger migratory cranes from the north pass through Florida in winter.
About Ronen Tivony
Ronen Tivony is an award-winning wildlife photojournalist, Certified Florida Master Naturalist, and Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society (FRPS). His work appears regularly in The Times, The Guardian, The Week, The New York Times, CNN, BBC, The Atlantic, and many more.
He leads specialized wildlife photography workshops and tours across Florida’s most productive ecosystems. His photojournalism background shapes every session, he teaches you to think in stories, not just exposures.