Each winter, thousands of Sandhill Cranes spend the winter in central New Mexico along the Rio Grande. These elegant birds, which pair for life, come from as far away as Siberia to feed in the corn fields that many farmers have planted just for the cranes. Once they are full, they often fly to the nearby ponds in the bosque to rest until the next morning, standing in the deep water to avoid local coyotes prowling the shorelines. On cold mornings, it’s not unusual to see ice rings around their legs as they walk around.