Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane, adults

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Sandhill Crane, juvenile

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

The Sandhill Crane is a tall gray bird of open grasslands, meadows, and wetlands. It congregates in huge numbers in migration.

Description

• Very large bird.
• Long neck.
• Long Legs.
• Gray body, may be stained reddish.
• Red forehead.
• White cheek.
• Tufted feathers over rump.

• Size: 120 cm (47 in)
• Wingspan: 200 cm (79 in)
• Weight: 3400-4900 g (120.02-172.97 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike, male slightly larger.

Sound

A deep, rolling trumpet and rattling.

Conservation Status

One of the few crane species in the world that is still common. Mississippi and Cuban populations endangered.

Other Names

Grue Canadienne, Grue de Canada (French)
Grulla, Grulla Cenicienta, Grulla del Canada (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The Sandhill Crane does not breed until it is two to seven years old. It can live up to the age of 20. Mated pairs stay together year round, and migrate south as a group with their offspring.

Sources used to construct this page:

Tacha, T. C., S. A. Nesbitt, and P. A. Vohs. 1992. Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis). In The Birds of North America, No. 31 (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, DC: The American Ornithologists' Union.