🌿Native Nature

Sandhill Crane

Antigone canadensis

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia ›Phylum: Chordata ›Class: Aves ›Order: Gruiformes ›Family: Gruidae ›Genus: Antigone

About

The sandhill crane (Antigone canadensis) 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. This is the most important stopover area for the nominotypical subspecies, the lesser sandhill crane (Antigone canadensis canadensis), with up to 450,000 of these birds migrating through annually.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the scientific name of Sandhill Crane?
The scientific name of Sandhill Crane is Antigone canadensis.
What is the conservation status of Sandhill Crane?
The Sandhill Crane has a conservation status of Least Concern.
What kingdom does Sandhill Crane belong to?
Sandhill Crane belongs to the kingdom Animalia.
What phylum does Sandhill Crane belong to?
Sandhill Crane belongs to the phylum Chordata.
What class does Sandhill Crane belong to?
Sandhill Crane belongs to the class Aves.
What order does Sandhill Crane belong to?
Sandhill Crane belongs to the order Gruiformes.
What family does Sandhill Crane belong to?
Sandhill Crane belongs to the family Gruidae.
What genus does Sandhill Crane belong to?
Sandhill Crane belongs to the genus Antigone.

In the News

Keeping the Crane River “Crane Friendly”

Editor’s note: This article is part of a series exploring the various facets of the Sandhill Crane Migration in Central Nebraska, the $28 Million annual economic impact that the migration brings...

Audubon · 8/25/2026

Announcing 2027 Crane Season Dates

Each year, visitors from all over the world make plans to visit Central Nebraska for the magnificent Sandhill Crane migration.  Rowe Sanctuary is pleased to once again provide one of the best...

Audubon · 8/25/2026

Birding at Rowe Sanctuary

Every spring, thousands of people flock to Rowe Sanctuary to witness one of Nebraska’s greatest wildlife spectacles: large concentrations of Sandhill Cranes gathering along the Platte River during...

Audubon · 8/24/2026

Fall Crane Viewing

Even though Sandhill Cranes stage in the Platte River valley in large numbers during the spring migration, this is not the case in the fall. During the months of September and October, cranes stage...

Audubon · 7/7/2026

Rowe After Dark

While Rowe Sanctuary is widely recognized for the Sandhill Crane migration and the bird life that draws in visitors from around the world, the landscape here supports far more than what most people...

Audubon · 6/15/2026

Brewing Connection: How Crane Migration Benefits a Nebraska Small Business

Editor’s note: This article is part of a series exploring the various facets of the Sandhill Crane Migration in Central Nebraska, the $28 Million annual economic impact that the migration...

Audubon · 6/11/2026