The enzymes that act inside the small intestine are amylase, protease, and lipase. Amylase acts on starch and breaks it down into small carbohydrate molecules. Protease acts on proteins and breaks them down into amino acids. Lipase breaks down dietary fats into smaller molecules called fatty acids and glycerol.
Sandhill Cranes mate for life, choosing their partners based on dancing displays. Displaying birds stretch their wings, pump their heads, bow, and leap into the air. Although each female usually lays two eggs, only one nestling typically survives to fledge.
The subspecies of Sandhill Crane seen in Washington are migratory. Most of the cranes that breed in Washington are members of the Central Valley population of the Greater Sandhill Crane subspecies, and they winter in the Central Valley of California.