Sandhill Cranes are believed to be our oldest living bird species — over 9 million years. They mate for life, their babies stay with them for a year, and their populations recover slowly, in part because each breeding pair usually has only one chick per year that survives. The Humane Society of Huron Valley opposes legislative action which urges the Michigan Natural Resources Commission to designate Sandhill Cranes as a game species, and to seek permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to open a hunting season on them.