The sandhill crane (Antigone canadensis) is a
species complex of large cranes of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird refers to its habitat, such as the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills on the American Great Plains. Sandhill cranes are known to frequent the edges of bodies of water. The central Platte River Valley in Nebraska is the most important stopover area for the
nominotypical subspecies, known as the lesser sandhill crane (A. c. canadensis), with up to 450,000 of these birds migrating through annually.
This species complex of sandhill cranes has a total of six sub-species, one of which seems to be disputed.
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Gruiformes
Family:
Gruidae
Genus:
Antigone
Species:
Canadensis
Common Name:
Sandhill Crane
Conservation Status:
LC
Subspecies:
Description
Adult sandhill cranes are primarily gray in color and have a reddish cap.
Length:
42 - 48 inches
Wingspan:
66 - 84 inches
Male:
Female:
Juvenile:
Subadults have a pale rust-colored head and neck with a gray body that is overlaid with a mottled rust-color.
First Year:
Habitat:
Range:
Year-round:
Cuban Sandhil Crane (Antigone canadensis nesiotes)
Breeding:
Northeast Russia, Chukchi Sea North Coast
Summer or Nesting:
Migration (spring and fall):
Wintering:
Subspecies:
This species complex of sandhill cranes has a total of six sub-species, with the Lesser Sandhill Crane being the nominotypical subspecies and one subspecies that seems to be disputed.
Antigone canadensis canadensis
Lesser Sandhill Crane
These cranes are the nominotypical subspecies of the Sandhill Crane and breed in northeast Siberia through Alaska and from northern Canada to Baffin Island.
Antigone canadensis pratensis
Florida Sandhill Crane
The A.c. pratensis is a non migratory year-round breeding residency inhabiting freshwater marshes, prairies, pastures and utilizing the edges and transition zones of the deep forests, but not the forests. These cranes are found in the states of both Florida and Georgia.
Antigone canadensis nesiotes
Cuban Sandhill Crane
The most notable sub-species are those on the island of Cuba and the nearby Isla de La Juventud, this crane (A. c. nesiotes), which once was considered rare and is currently has the endangered status. Detailed surveys conducted in the 1990s estimated about 525 individuals, while another survey don in the 2000s increased the population to above 550 birds. Thus, based on the surveys, this endangered population is increasing.
Antigone canadensis nesiotes is more commonly known as the Cuban Sandhill Crane, is a non-migratory subspecies of the Sandhill Crane found in the highlands of the island of Cuba and La Juventud, and has a restricted geographic range, distinguishing it from the more widespread migratory subspecies.
Antigone canadensis tabida
Greater Sandhill Crane
A large population of this North American crane arrives in October to winter in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida and then leaves in March to fly north to Canada to breeding location in several locations including Manitoba and Ontario. Other wintering location of this population found in Georgia and Alabama are considered imperiled. A second small population (also considered imperiled) and taking what I call the Yellowstone flyway, leave Florida, stops in locations within Colorado and Wyoming and then leaving to summers in British Columbia.
Another small population during March migrate north to the eastern areas of Washington state at Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge and breed there from April to June. Breeding cranes and their colt (crane chick) leave the state in late September and become part of those cranes who winter in the California Central Valley.
This subspecies has a Conservation Status from Washington State as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) and from the general Conservation Status as Conservation Dependent (CD)
Some of the flock nesting in British Columbia will leave there in September-October and fly southbound, stopping in Oregon and continue southbound to California and Nevada. Crane taking this path are on what I called the California Flyway will stop in Oregon often in areas in and around
Goose Lake State Park. The wintering locations in California and Nevada are also considered imperiled, with the stopover locations in Oregon considered Vulnerable.
Antigone canadensis pulla
Mississippi Sandhill Crane
A small non-migratory breeding population of less than 150 cranes exist in the southern area of Jackson County, Mississippi, most of which are the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. Formally, this population occurred in widely scattered areas along the Gulf Coast Coastal Plains Region in
Louisiana,
Mississippi,
Alabama,
Florida and possibly in
Texas, but currently this subspecies are only found in less than 32 square miles (20,000 acres) along the East Pascagoula River in southeast Mississippi.
Antigone canadensis rowani
Canadian Sandhill Crane (disputed)
A medium size migratory breeding population spending summer in British Columbia and Ontario, leaving there in Sept-October and migrating to northern Mexico. This crane could possibly stop in Oregon.
