Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane in Michigan

Antigone canadensis

Identification. Large gray crane with red crown patch and elongated 'bustle' of inner wing feathers. Loud, rattling, trumpeting call carries for miles. Often mistaken for Great Blue Heron in flight, but cranes fly with neck extended while herons fly with neck folded.

Status in Michigan. Common breeding migrant in central and southern Michigan; spectacular fall staging. Sandhill Crane has recovered dramatically in Michigan since mid-20th century. Breeding pairs are now common in central and southern counties, particularly in marshes, fens, and wet agricultural fields. Fall staging at the Phyllis Haehnle Sanctuary near Jackson and the Bernard W. Baker Sanctuary near Battle Creek draws thousands of birds each year.

Habitat. Open wetlands, fens, wet meadows, agricultural fields adjacent to marsh.

Where to find Sandhill Crane. Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Sanctuary near Jackson and Bernard W. Baker Sanctuary near Battle Creek are the premier fall staging sites in Michigan, with peak counts in October sometimes exceeding 5,000 birds.

Best Michigan counties for Sandhill Crane. Calhoun, Jackson, Washtenaw, Lenawee, Hillsdale. Click any county above to see recent Sandhill Crane sightings and hotspot information.

Conservation. Mid-continent population has grown substantially. State special concern status was removed as populations recovered.

The sightings table below this section pulls live Sandhill Crane reports from eBird across all 83 Michigan counties, refreshed every 15 minutes. For comprehensive historical records and global range information, the eBird species profile and Cornell Lab of Ornithology Birds of the World account are the authoritative references.

Edited by Chris Izworski, Bay City, Michigan. Sightings data from eBird, updated every 15 minutes.