sandhill crane

noun

sand·​hill crane ˈsand-ˌhil- How to pronounce sandhill crane (audio)
: a crane (Antigone canadensis) of North America and Siberia that has a red crown and is chiefly bluish gray tinged with a sandy yellow

Examples of sandhill crane in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Thousands of sandhill cranes return to Arizona. — Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 22 Nov. 2025 One of the birds people are most likely to mistake for a whooping crane is a sandhill crane, its closest relative. — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 June 2026 Karoo The Karoo course—named for the distinct, trumpeting call of the sandhill cranes that frequent the area, is the work of architect Kyle Franz. — Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2026 Lawmakers again consider hunting season for sandhill cranes Republican lawmakers are bringing back a bill that could create a hunting season for sandhill cranes. — Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 20 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sandhill crane

Word History

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sandhill crane was in 1805

Rhymes for sandhill crane

See All Rhymes for sandhill crane

Browse Nearby Words

sandhill
sandhill crane
sandhiller
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sandhill crane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sandhill%20crane. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sandhill crane

noun
sand·​hill crane ˌsand-ˌhil- How to pronounce sandhill crane (audio)
: a crane of North America and Siberia that is chiefly bluish gray with red on the top of the head

More from Merriam-Webster on sandhill crane

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sandhill crane

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