Sandhills preening

 Ever wonder why Sandhills are gray when they leave here in the fall and are rusty brown when they return? 






When Sandhills leave this area in the fall their feathers are gray. As they begin their migration back in the spring their gray feathers slowly change to a rusty brown. They preen themselves with daubs of mud and the mineral content in the mud, such as iron, stains their feathers. This is thought to be their way of camouflaging themselves while nesting.

Kathy J.