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Manatee County

Audubon Society

Sandhill Crane

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Name

Sandhill Crane

Scientific Name

(Antigone canadensis)

Why they are special:
  • One of Florida’s most iconic and charismatic birds, famous for their bugling calls and graceful presence in pastures and wetlands.

  • Known for elaborate courtship dances, where pairs leap, bow, and flap in synchrony.

  • In Manatee County, Sandhill Cranes are seen year-round, often with chicks (“colts”) in spring and summer.
Size and color:
  • A very large bird, about 3–4 feet tall with a wingspan of 6–7 feet.

  • Gray overall, sometimes tinged with rust from preening with iron-rich mud.

  • Distinctive red crown patch on the forehead, long neck, and black legs.
Seasonality in Florida:
  • Florida has a non-migratory resident population of Sandhill Cranes, present year-round.

  • In winter, they are joined by migratory Sandhill Cranes from the northern U.S. and Canada, swelling numbers.
Habitat:
  • Prefer open pastures, freshwater marshes, prairies, and wet meadows.

  • In Manatee County, they are often seen in cattle pastures, golf courses, and wetland edges.
Diet:
  • Omnivores—eat grains, seeds, tubers, insects, amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals.

  • Forage by probing with their bills in soil and shallow water.
Behavior:
  • Social and often in pairs or family groups; larger flocks gather in winter.

  • Known for their loud, rolling bugling call, often heard before the birds are seen.

  • Nest in marshes, building mounds of vegetation that rise above shallow water.
Conservation notes:
  • Florida’s resident subspecies is considered threatened due to habitat loss and collisions with vehicles.

  • Protection of wetlands and open pastures is key to their survival.
Best time to see:
  • Year-round in Manatee County, with nesting activity in late winter to spring.

  • Look for family groups in pastures and wetlands, often with downy chicks in March–April.
Fun Fact:
  • Sandhill Cranes are among the oldest living bird species, with fossils dating back at least 2.5 million years!
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