Antigone canadensis
Marshes and fields on migration, with nesting populations in the North, the Great Lakes, and Florida. Three thick forward toes, no rear toe that prints well.
What does a sandhill crane look like?
Tall gray bird, red crown, bustle of feathers over the tail.
What do sandhill crane tracks look like?
Three toes, no useful hind toe. That splits it from a heron, which has a long rear toe. Slimmer than a turkey print.
- Three thick forward toes, no rear toe that prints well
- Track about 3 to 4 inches, narrower than a turkey
- A straight middle toe and a long stride
- Often a flock of tracks in a grain field or mudflat
- Gray bird with a red crown if seen
What does sandhill crane poop look like?
Green or brown cords in fields where the flock feeds, smaller than goose piles. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine.
Where you find it
Marshes and fields on migration, with nesting populations in the North, the Great Lakes, and Florida. Typical places: wetland, field. Year-round where the species lives. Tracks show best in mud, sand, and snow.
What to do next
- Watch from a distance
- Do not handle droppings
- If the animal is injured or inside a building, call a local wildlife officer
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Wild turkey identification
- Great blue heron identification
- Canada goose identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
How do you tell crane tracks from turkey tracks?
Crane tracks lack the thick hind toe mark and are slimmer. They are usually in a flock in a field or marsh, not a single trail in the woods.
How to tell a sandhill crane from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Wild turkey. A big three-toed print. Large dark ground bird, featherless head, bronze body.
- Great blue heron. A skinny X with a long rear toe. Tall gray-blue wading bird, S-curved neck, dagger bill.
- Canada goose. Webbed, pigeon-toed, in a line from water to grass. Brown goose, black neck, white cheek patch.
Sandhill crane field marks
- Three thick forward toes, no rear toe that prints well
- Track about 3 to 4 inches, narrower than a turkey
- A straight middle toe and a long stride
- Often a flock of tracks in a grain field or mudflat
Where the sign shows up
Marshes and fields on migration, with nesting populations in the North, the Great Lakes, and Florida. Typical places: wetland, field. Year-round where the species lives. Tracks show best in mud, sand, and snow.
Three toes, no useful hind toe. That splits it from a heron, which has a long rear toe. Slimmer than a turkey print. Green or brown cords in fields where the flock feeds, smaller than goose piles.
Common questions
How do you tell crane tracks from turkey tracks?
Crane tracks lack the thick hind toe mark and are slimmer. They are usually in a flock in a field or marsh, not a single trail in the woods.