The primordial sounding Sandhill crane has eluded me for a few years, until tonight. You can likely hear these birds for more than a mile, especially as they vocalize when flying.
Listen to the end of this short recording to hear the clearest calls. They often call in pairs– and both when flying and from afar look similar to herons. Up close the coloring is different, and they are much bigger. This particular recording at Independence Lake in Michigan is right around when the season is turning to spring. The cranes are safely on the lake ice. Also in the recording, some red-winged blackbirds, squirrels, geese, mallard ducks, and something that sounds sort of like a chicken clucking??
A few days later, midday, I recorded a crane in flight. You can clearly hear the power of the wings and a single call. This recording is from a distance of greater than 100 yards.
