The
sandhill crane is a
species of large
crane of
North America and extreme northeastern
Siberia. The common name of this bird refers to
habitat like that at the
Platte River, on the edge of
Nebraska's
Sandhills on the American
Plains. Adults are gray overall; during breeding, their
plumage is usually much worn and stained, particularly in the migratory populations, and looks nearly
ochre. The average weight of the larger males is 4.57 kg (10.1 lb), while the average weight of females is 4.02 kg (8.9 lb), with a range of 2.7 to 6.7 kg (6.0 to 14.8 lb) across the subspecies.
[6][7] Sandhill cranes have red foreheads, white cheeks, and long, dark, pointed
bills. In flight, their long, dark legs trail behind, and their long necks keep straight. Immature birds have reddish-brown upperparts and gray underparts.
[8][9] The sexes look alike.
