Birds · Gruiformes · Gruidae

Sandhill Crane

Antigone canadensis

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The sandhill crane is the most abundant crane in the world and is responsible for one of the great gatherings of birds on the planet: every spring more than half a million of them stop on the Platte River in Nebraska during their migration north. It is omnivorous and uses maize stubble to build up reserves. Its populations are expanding, though some island and non-migratory subspecies, such as those of Mississippi and Cuba, remain in a critical state.

Weight

3 kg – 6.5 kg

Size

1 m – 1.2 m

Lifespan

25 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

TundraFreshwaterGrasslandOmnivore Diurnal Bird Tundra Freshwater Grassland

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Fun facts

The oldest crane fossil attributed to this species is some ten million years old, which would make it one of the oldest known living bird species.
Every March more than half a million of them gather along an eighty-kilometre stretch of the Platte River in Nebraska: it is the largest concentration of cranes in the world and one of the great natural spectacles of North America.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Tundra, peat bogs, wet meadows and farmland of North America and north-eastern Siberia
Sexual maturity: 4 years
Gestation / incubation: 30 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 2 eggs

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/