Two gray sandhill cranes with red foreheads standing on a lawn. — Photo: HappiestFish, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sandhill Crane

Antigone canadensis (also called Grus canadensis)

A tall gray crane with a red forehead and a rattling call; its species has been around for millions of years.

🪿 Wading Birds

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About the Sandhill Crane

Sandhill cranes stand 3 to 4 feet tall, weigh 7 to 11 pounds and have wingspans of 5.5 to 6.5 feet. They are gray with a red patch on the head and white cheeks. They live in open areas near water, such as prairies, swamps, farm fields and marshy tundra. They eat seeds, berries, roots and grain, plus small animals like snails, insects, frogs and rodents.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Antigone canadensis (also called Grus canadensis)^[1][2]
Size: 3 to 4 feet tall; 5.5- to 6.5-foot wingspan.^[1]
Weight: 7 to 11 pounds.^[1]
Lifespan: 20 years or more.^[1]
Diet: Omnivore. Seeds, berries, roots, grain, snails, insects, frogs and rodents.^[1]
Habitat: Open areas near water: prairies, swamps, farm fields and marshy tundra.^[1]
Where it lives: North America.^[1]
Group life: Family groups; huge flocks in winter.^[1]
Babies: 1 to 3 eggs, usually 2.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020).^[2]

Fun facts

Sandhill cranes have been around for nearly 2.5 million years.^[1]
Mated pairs call together in unison.^[1]
They are named for the Sandhill region of Nebraska.^[1]

Vocabulary

crane: A tall bird with long legs and a long neck.
unison: Together at the same time.
courtship: Behavior animals use to attract a mate.
migrate: To travel from one region to another with the seasons.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Sandhill crane.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/sandhill-crane (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Grus canadensis (Sandhill Crane).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22692078/188597759 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

More Wading Birds

African Sacred IbisThreskiornis aethiopicusA white ibis with a black head and neck that ancient Egyptians honored as a symbol of the god Thoth.African SpoonbillPlatalea albaA pure white African wading bird with a red face and legs and a long, spoon-shaped bill for sweeping up fish.American FlamingoPhoenicopterus ruberThe brightest-colored flamingo, also called the Caribbean flamingo, that filter-feeds with its bill upside down.Black Crowned CraneBalearica pavoninaA dark West African crane with a golden crown of stiff feathers that roosts in trees and dances when it breeds.Blue CraneAnthropoides paradiseusThe national bird of South Africa, a blue-gray crane of grasslands famous for courtship dances that can last for hours.

Cattle EgretBubulcus ibisA small white heron that follows grazing animals to catch the insects they stir up, and has spread from Africa around the world.Chilean FlamingoPhoenicopterus chilensisA pink flamingo of the high, cold salt flats of the southern Andes that feeds with its head upside down.Grey Crowned CraneBalearica regulorum (East African crowned crane: B. r. gibbericeps)An endangered African crane with a crown of stiff golden feathers, shown on the flag of Uganda. Also called the East African crowned crane.Hadada IbisBostrychia hagedashA gray-brown African ibis with shiny green-purple wings, named for its loud "haa-haa-haa-de-dah" call.HamerkopScopus umbrettaA brown African wading bird with a hammer-shaped head that builds the biggest nest of any bird in Africa.Lesser FlamingoPhoeniconaias minorThe world's smallest flamingo, which filters tiny algae from salty lakes and gathers in flocks of tens of thousands.Madagascar Crested IbisLophotibis cristataA forest ibis found only on Madagascar, with a brown body, white wings and a shiny greenish-blue crest.Malagasy Sacred IbisThreskiornis bernieriAn endangered white ibis with a black head and pale blue eyes that lives along the coasts of western Madagascar and Aldabra.

Marabou StorkLeptoptilos crumeniferA huge, bald-headed African stork that feeds mostly on dead animals and often gathers near lakes, rivers, garbage dumps and fishing villages.Northern Bald IbisGeronticus eremitaA glossy black ibis with a bald red head, also called the waldrapp, that was once common in Europe and is now one of the world's rarest birds.Roseate SpoonbillPlatalea ajajaA bright pink wading bird of the Americas that sweeps its spoon-shaped bill through shallow water to catch food.Scarlet IbisEudocimus ruberA bright red wading bird of northern South America that feeds mostly on crayfish and small crabs.Snowy EgretEgretta thulaAn all-white heron of the Americas with a black bill and bright yellow feet, famous for its lacy breeding plumes.Straw-Necked IbisThreskiornis spinicollisAn Australian ibis with straw-like neck feathers and a shiny back, nicknamed the "farmer's friend" for eating grasshoppers.Wattled CraneBugeranus carunculatusA tall African wetland crane with flaps of skin hanging from its chin that shrink when it's nervous and lengthen when it's excited.White StorkCiconia ciconiaA big white-and-black bird with a red bill that breeds in Europe, winters in Africa and inspired the story of storks delivering babies.White-Naped CraneGrus vipio (also called Antigone vipio)A tall gray-and-white crane of East Asian wetlands with a red face and pink legs, famous for its dancing.Whooping CraneGrus americanaNorth America's tallest bird, a white crane with a booming call that is slowly recovering from near extinction.Yellow-Billed StorkMycteria ibisA tall white African stork with a bright yellow bill and red face that feels for fish and frogs in shallow water.