Cranes (Gruidae)
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) - HBW 3, p. 85
French: Grue du Canada
German: Kanadakranich
Spanish: Grulla Canadiense
Other common names: Little Brown/Canadian Crane; Lesser Sandhill Crane (canadensis); Canadian Sandhill Crane (rowani); Greater Sandhill Crane (tabida); Mississippi Sandhill Crane (pulla); Florida Sandhill Crane (pratensis); Cuban Sandhill Crane (nesiotes)
Taxonomy: Ardea canadensis Linnaeus, 1758, Hudson Bay, Canada.
Races canadensis, rowani and tabida probably form cline, with gradual changes in morphology, and random pairing among them; these three intergrade along limits of their ranges. Race tabida subdivided into five populations; morphological differences among these populations have been noted, but not analysed in terms of taxonomic importance. Subspecies status of pulla has not been definitively established; first described in 1972, based mainly on colour differences with pratensis; remnant population in Mississippi was probably more widespread in past, an.. View all taxonomy...
Taxonomy: Ardea canadensis Linnaeus, 1758, Hudson Bay, Canada.
Races canadensis, rowani and tabida probably form cline, with gradual changes in morphology, and random pairing among them; these three intergrade along limits of their ranges. Race tabida subdivided into five populations; morphological differences among these populations have been noted, but not analysed in terms of taxonomic importance. Subspecies status of pulla has not been definitively established; first described in 1972, based mainly on colour differences with pratensis; remnant population in Mississippi was probably more widespread in past, and likely to have intergraded with pratensis. Six subspecies normally recognized.
Races canadensis, rowani and tabida probably form cline, with gradual changes in morphology, and random pairing among them; these three intergrade along limits of their ranges. Race tabida subdivided into five populations; morphological differences among these populations have been noted, but not analysed in terms of taxonomic importance. Subspecies status of pulla has not been definitively established; first described in 1972, based mainly on colour differences with pratensis; remnant population in Mississippi was probably more widespread in past, and likely to have intergraded with pratensis. Six subspecies normally recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) - Arctic and subarctic North America and E Siberia; winters in SW USA and NC Mexico.
- rowani Walkinshaw, 1965 - subarctic Canada, from British Columbia to N Ontario; winters on Texas coast of Gulf of Mexico, and in SW USA and NC Mexico.
- tabida (J. L. Peters, 1925) - five breeding populations in mid-continental North America from Vancouver I to Great Lakes region; winters in NC Mexico and S USA, from California to Georgia and Florida.
- canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) - Arctic and subarctic North America and E Siberia; winters in SW USA and NC Mexico.
- rowani Walkinshaw, 1965 - subarctic Canada, from British Columbia to N Ontario; winters on Texas coast of Gulf of Mexico, and in SW USA and NC Mexico.
- tabida (J. L. Peters, 1925) - five breeding populations in mid-continental North America from Vancouver I to Great Lakes region; winters in NC Mexico and S USA, from California to Georgia and Florida.
- pulla Aldrich, 1972 - Mississippi, USA.
- pratensis (F. A. A. Meyer, 1794) - Georgia and Florida, USA.
- nesiotes Bangs & Zappey, 1905 - Cuba and I of Pines.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A pair on a track, calling twice in duet. Locality George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia, Canada
Josep del Hoyo 17 August 2012 31 weeks ago 36 sec 4.7 -
A close-up of two birds feeding on a reedbed. Locality George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia, Canada
Josep del Hoyo 17 August 2012 31 weeks ago 38 sec 4.6 -
Adult stalking Wood Frogs in marsh. Locality Far North Bicentennial Park, Anchorage, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp canadensis)
Wayne Hall 1 May 2011 1 year ago 35 sec 4.6 -
Three birds calling on a wetland, and a close-up of one of them. Locality George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia, Canada
Josep del Hoyo 17 August 2012 31 weeks ago 35 sec 4.6 -
A pan of flock in morning's first light prior to leaving their night roost for their daytime feeding areas. Locality Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, Imperial County, California, USA (United States) (ssp canadensis)
Don DesJardin 9 December 2011 1 year ago 43 sec 4.4 -
Four scenes of cranes leaving their night roost and heading out to their daytime feeding areas. The last two scenes slowed for b Locality Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, Imperial County, California, USA (United States) (ssp canadensis)
Don DesJardin 9 December 2011 1 year ago 1 min 2 sec 4.3 -
Four individuals walking, feeding and calling Locality Anchorage, Alaska, USA (United States)
Wayne Hall 27 May 2010 2 years ago 53 sec 4.3 -
Adult catching and eating Wood Frog in marsh. Locality Far North Bicentennial Park, Anchorage, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp canadensis)
Wayne Hall 1 May 2011 1 year ago 51 sec 4.2 -
A group returning to their night roost from their daytime feeding areas. Locality Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, Imperial County, California, USA (United States) (ssp canadensis)
Don DesJardin 9 December 2011 1 year ago 1 min 15 sec 4.1 -
A pair with one chick, feeding close to the water. Locality Beluga Wetlands, Homer, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp canadensis)
Josep del Hoyo 8 June 2012 39 weeks ago 24 sec 4 -
Adult male preening Locality Far North Bicentennial Park, Anchorage, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp canadensis)
Wayne Hall 1 May 2011 2 years ago 41 sec 4 -
Pair of adult Lesser Sandhill Cranes courtship displaying and calling Locality Anchorage, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp canadensis)
Wayne Hall 9 May 2009 4 years ago 1 min 31 sec 4 -
A close-up of the head of an adult bird. Locality George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia, Canada
Josep del Hoyo 17 August 2012 31 weeks ago 20 sec 3.8 -
An individual feeding on the grass and a close-up of its head while scratching the neck. Locality George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia, Canada
Josep del Hoyo 17 August 2012 31 weeks ago 25 sec 3.8 -
A solitary bird, far out of its usual range and season, picking in maize field Locality Middle Creek Lake, Kleinfeltersville, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA (United States) (ssp pratensis)
Alexander Grimwade 8 March 2007 6 years ago 21 sec 3.8 -
Dorsal view of a pair close to a pond, taking off and flying away. Locality George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia, Canada
Josep del Hoyo 17 August 2012 31 weeks ago 22 sec 3.8 -
Southern Forida seems to have a large winter group of the great birds. Locality Florida, USA (United States)
redknot2 20 February 2009 4 years ago 1 min 22 sec 3.7 -
Adult catching and eating Wood Frogs in marsh. Locality Far North Bicentennial Park, Anchorage, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp canadensis)
Wayne Hall 1 May 2011 1 year ago 48 sec 3.6 -
A pair with its chick foraging on a wetland. Locality Beluga Wetlands, Homer, Alaska, USA (United States) (ssp canadensis)
Josep del Hoyo 8 June 2012 39 weeks ago 23 sec 3.5 -
A close-up of a bird in the rain. Locality Tierpark Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Josep del Hoyo 22 March 2008 4 years ago 21 sec 3.4 -
Three individuals feeding in a field Locality Kingsville, Kleberg County, Texas, USA (United States) (ssp rowani)
Cagan H Sekercioglu 11 March 2003 9 years ago 30 sec 3.4 -
Three birds sleeping on a field. Locality Arasaki Crane Reserve, Izumi, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan (ssp canadensis)
Josep del Hoyo 31 January 2010 2 years ago 21 sec 3.3 -
A flock shown in morning's first light prior to leaving their night roost for their daytime feeding areas. Locality Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, Imperial County, California, USA (United States) (ssp canadensis)
Don DesJardin 9 December 2011 1 year ago 32 sec 3 -
A group of birds landing and feeding in a field Locality Isenberg Crane Reserve, Woodbridge, San Joaquin County, California, USA (United States)
Michael Grunow 29 October 2004 5 years ago 27 sec 2.8
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