Sandhill Crane Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesSandhill Crane
Adult
Tall, heavy-bodied bird with a long neck and long legs. Drooping feathers form a “bustle” around its back end. Gray overall with some tan body feathers. Note red crown.
© Lorri Howski 🦋 / Macaulay LibraryWisconsin, September 22, 2019Adult
Large bird with broad wings. Flies with its neck stretched out and feet trailing behind.
© Kris Perlberg / Macaulay LibraryWisconsin, March 01, 2019Adults
Tall, graceful bird with gray plumage, white throat, and red crown patch.
© Galatee Films / Macaulay LibraryNebraska, March 26, 1998Not all videos have sound
Immature
Immature birds have a rusty crown and back of the neck. They also have more rusty plumage on their back and wings.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, December 08, 2016Adult and juvenile
Young can stand and walk shortly after hatching, but adults care for the chicks for up to 10 months.
© S. K. Jones / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, March 18, 2016Adults
Flies with neck and legs extended. Wings are very broad, with wingtips slightly darker than rest of wing.
© Galatee Films / Macaulay LibraryIdaho, April 07, 1999Not all videos have sound
Adult
Performs dances to attract mates. Displaying birds stretch their wings, pump their heads, bow, and leap into the air.
© Edward Plumer / Macaulay LibraryNew Mexico, December 27, 2016Adult
Nests in shallow wetlands where it builds a mounded nest out of reeds, sedges, and grasses on the ground, often above standing water.
© Etienne Artigau🦩 / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, March 10, 2017Flock
Often occurs in flocks, unlike herons. Displaying birds stretch their wings, pump their heads, bow, and leap into the air.
© Galatee Films / Macaulay LibraryNebraska, March 26, 1998Not all videos have sound
Adult
Adults have a bright red crown and a large dark bill.
© miriam avello / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, May 17, 2017Adult
Forages for seeds, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, and insects in open grasslands, fields, and wetlands.
© Bruce Gates / Macaulay LibraryOntario, August 31, 2016Flock
During migration, flocks can be extremely large, gathering along broad river valleys. This video has no audio.
© Galatee Films / Macaulay LibraryIdaho, April 07, 1999Not all videos have sound
Habitat
Migrates and winters in extremely large flocks, numbering into the tens of thousands. Found in open prairies, grasslands, and wetlands.
© Ben West / Macaulay LibraryColorado, March 13, 2016Similar SpeciesGreat Blue Heron
Adult (Blue form)
Great Blue Herons have a larger yellow (not dark) bill than Sandhill Cranes. They also have black feathers on their head and lack the red crown patch seen on Sandhill Cranes.
© Janis Stone / Macaulay LibraryVirginia, March 01, 2017Similar SpeciesWhooping Crane
Adult
Whooping Cranes are larger than Sandhill Cranes with entirely white (not gray) bodies.
© Michael Brown / Macaulay LibraryIndianaSimilar SpeciesWhooping Crane
Adult with juvenile
Juvenile Whooping Cranes are brownish above and white below, not gray like juvenile Sandhill Cranes.
© Jeff Langford / Macaulay LibraryTexas, March 04, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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