Sandhill Crane
© Larry Lynch
Sandhill Cranes are graceful, tall, long-lived birds known for their courtship dances and loud, bugling calls. They are omnivorous and are usually observed in marshes, prairies, and also pastures, lawns, and golf courses. Florida has two subspecies of Sandhill Crane. The resident Florida subspecies occurs throughout much of the peninsula, where it breeds; it is state-listed as threatened. The Greater Sandhill Crane, which breeds in the northern United States and Canada, migrates to Florida for the winter and can be found in large flocks, especially in the northern peninsula. A spectacular roost with thousands of Greater Sandhill Cranes can be observed at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park in Gainesville during the winter. In the panhandle, they are mostly seen in migration only, flying over such places as St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and St. George Island State Park.
For more information, including a range map and sound recording, visit The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds Web site.
Recommended GFBT sites:
- Circle B Bar Ranch
- Fred C. Babcock / Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area
- Joe Overstreet Landing
- Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
- Myakka River State Park
- Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
- Platt Branch Wildlife and Environmental Area
- Sawgrass Island Preserve
- Sunnyhill Restoration Area
-
Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area
Bird's habitat
Sandhill Cranes are found in natural areas such as marshes and prairies, but also in pastures and on lawns and golf courses.
Quick Links
