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NASA’s Instagram page stuns followers with a sandhill crane’s close-up photo: ‘Has anyone hacked NASA’s page?’

The agency highlighted how the Space Coast’s shallow freshwater habitats provide the perfect environment for these cranes to nest and find food.

NASA posts a photo of a sandhill crane (Image source: @nasa/Instagram)

Nasa’s Instagram account, known for its stunning images of outer space and fascinating cosmic insights, recently surprised its followers with a unique post—a close-up shot of a sandhill crane.

“This sandhill crane is one of the 1,500 different species of plants and animals that make their home at NASA‘s Kennedy Space Centre, which shares space with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge,” the caption read. The agency highlighted how the Space Coast’s shallow freshwater habitats provide the perfect environment for these cranes to nest and find food.

The photo showed the crane’s large, deep-brown eyes locked directly with the camera, its slender, grey neck standing out against a vivid blue sky dotted with clouds. In the background, the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building can be seen faintly, with Nasa’s recognisable “meatball” insignia adding a subtle touch to the scene.

See the post:

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A post shared by NASA (@nasa)

The post has gained massive attention, amassing over two lakh likes and sparking numerous reactions in the comments section.

“This is actually a great head shot of the bird, I love Sandhill Cranes and photograph them when they migrate back to New York, the blurry NASA logo conveys space exploration and exploring our natural world are interlinked… the puffy white cloud fills the void of an otherwise dull blue sky, sweet work,” commented a photographer.

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Another user wrote, “Has anyone hacked NASA’s page?”

According to National Geographic, sandhill cranes, scientifically known as Grus canadensis, are omnivores with a varied diet. These elegant birds can live for around 20 years and often reach heights of five to six feet. They are commonly found in freshwater wetlands, where they feed on a mix of plants, grains, insects, worms, and even small animals like mice and snakes.