- www.LandoftheDevil.com -

Sand-hill Cranes-

This is by far the most popular choice for a skeptic. Their height can be up to 5 feet, wingspan up to 6 feet, with a weight up to 14 pounds (although most of these birds only grow half that size). These are very large birds which once existed in moderate numbers through the state, but their populations have drastically dwindled through the past century. Sand-hill crane sightings have been few and far between through the past 100 years, only sighted once every few decades. The last confirmed sand-hill crane sighting in New Jersey took place in 1992. Apart from that, the Cape May zoo is home to several Sand-hill cranes who have been living happily for a number of years.

Pros – Their size and wingspan are very convincing attributes. These birds also let out a call which is un-nerving at best; and with a larynx of 2.5 feet in length, its shrill call can be heard up to a mile away in low winds.

Cons – First let’s talk about size. The Jersey Devil has often been described as a very strong and powerful creature; we even have extreme cases of it supposedly knocking over large trees in the Tree Destruction Oddity. This is probably not to be mistaken with a bird that weighs less than a gallon of water on average. While the sand-hill crane has the approximate height and wingspan of many Jersey Devil sightings, it lacks the sheer power and muscle that witnesses have described. Physically this bird’s makeup does not consist of hooves, or arms with claws, nor horns and glowing eyes. Its head could certainly not be confused with a horse-like head on hundreds of occasions. As for its call, the sand-hill crane is admittedly very loud, but the Jersey Devil’s cry was once reported to overpower a chainsaw in Chatsworth. According to witnesses, its cry is a world apart from the sand-hill crane’s call in tonality, volume, and so forth. Most importantly, wildlife experts will tell you that sadly New Jersey contains no sand-hill cranes. These birds are known to breed mostly in Canada, and then migrate for winters in Mexico, South-East Texas, and the everglades of Central Florida. The number of times the Jersey Devil is seen and heard every year is exponentially greater than the number of sand-hill cranes that might conceivably occupy the Pine Barrens.