These cranes are famous for ritualistic courtship dancing (vertical leaps), but a variety of agonistic displays may also be exhibited. The low bow with wings spread is sometimes called the "ruffle bow."
These impressive birds, concentrate at favored localities in the Central Valley of California where they winter in flooded fields with stubble. Suitable habitat is rapidly being lost as traditional agricultural fields are converted to vineyards. Staten Island remains one of the most important areas for wintering cranes with about 8,000 individuals. These cranes often remain together in family groups during migration and winter. They are famous for their wild vocalizations created in part by their long trachea which coils inside a hollow breast bone. Once heard it is unforgettable, but hard to describe. I liken it to a frog playing a trumpet.
Although widespread in North America, this species also breeds in parts of Siberia. Several subspecies have been recognized or proposed differing primarily in size. Central Valley wintering populations consist of large G. c. tabida (Greater Sandhill Crane) and smaller G. c. canadensis (Lesser Sandhill Crane). Canon PowerShot SX50 HS.
References:
Gerber, Brian D., James F. Dwyer, Stephen A. Nesbitt, Rod C. Drewien, Carol D. Littlefield, T. C. Tacha and P. A. Vohs. (2014). Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis), The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America: https://birdsna.org/Species-Account/bna/species/sancra
Sandhill Crane Monitoring at Staten Island 2002-03 by Gary Ivey, Caroline Herziger [PDF].