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.
Many sandhill cranes are killed each year on Florida roads (see photo). Attracting cranes to urban areas increases the threat of predation (especially to young cranes) by dogs or cats. Further, the cranes' diets, which normally are quite diverse, are disrupted when they eat one food item (such as corn), consistently.