Mated pair of Sandhill Cranes in flightMated pair of Sandhill Cranes in flight – Nikon D300, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

Yesterday I wrote about the split in scrub-jay species and how the Western Scrub-Jays I photograph here in Utah are now Woodhouse’s Scrub Jays. Not only did their common name change but their scientific name changed as well.

Another change that has officially occurred was that Sandhill Cranes were moved from the genus Grus to Antigone in the Fifty-seventh Supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Whooping and Common Cranes remain in the genus Grus.

Male Sandhill Crane in a wet meadowMale Sandhill Crane in a wet meadow – Nikon D810, f13, 1/500, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Whenever there are changes in common or scientific names it always takes me a bit to get used to the changes so this is another change I will pencil into my field guides. It won’t take long for the authors of the birding apps I use to make the updates and push those changes to my devices.

Changes in the scientific names probably don’t mean much for most people but for many in the birding and bird photography communities knowing the genus and species name is important for life lists and labeling in portfolios. And that goes for subspecies as well.

I’m just glad the common name didn’t change.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Sandhill Crane photos plus facts and information about this species.

The first image presented here was taken in Wayne County, Utah in 2014 and the second was taken in Beaverhead County, Montana in 2015.