Cranes are found in Michigan, where they are a common sight across the state’s diverse landscape of wetlands and agricultural fields. The species most frequently encountered is the Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis). These impressive birds are the only crane species that breeds in Michigan, and their large size makes them unmistakable in flight or on the ground. The Sandhill Crane is a symbol of successful conservation efforts and offers a unique opportunity to observe one of North America’s largest avian residents.
How to Recognize the Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane is a large bird, standing between three and four feet tall, with some individuals reaching up to 1.2 meters. Their wingspan often stretches between five and seven feet across, which makes them skilled soaring birds. The adult crane’s plumage is generally a pale gray color, though it can appear rusty or reddish-brown due to preening itself with iron-rich mud.
A defining feature is the distinctive patch of bright red, featherless skin located on the forehead and crown of the adult bird. The face also features a contrasting white cheek patch that stands out against the grayish body and red cap. Immature cranes lack this red crown and white cheek, instead displaying a reddish-brown coloration on their upper parts.
The crane’s presence is often first revealed by its loud, rattling, trumpeting call that carries over long distances. Mated pairs perform a synchronized duet known as the “unison call,” which is a series of rolling, bugle-like sounds used to strengthen their bond.
Where and When to Find Them in Michigan
Sandhill Cranes primarily favor freshwater wetlands, wet meadows, and open marshes for nesting and roosting. They construct large nests out of vegetation in or near shallow water, which provides protection. When foraging, the birds are often found in adjacent open landscapes, including grasslands and agricultural fields.
The birds are frequently spotted throughout the Lower Peninsula, with concentrations in the southern regions of the state. Large numbers of cranes gather at staging areas like the Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Michigan Audubon Society Sanctuary in Jackson County before their autumn migration. Other reliable viewing locations include the Kensington Metropark and the Waterloo Recreation Area.
Michigan hosts both migratory and resident populations of the Greater Sandhill Crane subspecies. Migratory cranes arrive in the state early in the spring, beginning in early March, to establish their breeding territories. They spend the late spring and summer raising their young, which usually hatch in a clutch of two eggs. Cranes begin to stage in large groups in the late summer and early fall, with the majority departing for southern wintering grounds in Florida and Georgia by late October and early November.
The Status of Michigan’s Crane Population
The population of the Sandhill Crane followed a historic decline. By the 1930s, habitat destruction and unregulated hunting had reduced the breeding population in the state to an estimated sixteen mating pairs. Since that low point, the Eastern Population (EP) of Greater Sandhill Cranes has rebounded dramatically due to protection and wetland restoration efforts.
The current population is considered abundant, having exceeded the established management objective of 30,000 cranes. Fall surveys of the EP documented a long-term increasing trend, with counts reaching over 90,000 individuals in recent years. This recovery has resulted in the Sandhill Crane becoming a common and celebrated sighting across Michigan.
North America is also home to the Whooping Crane (Grus americana), the tallest bird on the continent. The Whooping Crane is endangered, and while it is not a resident breeding species in Michigan, individuals are occasionally sighted. These rare occurrences are usually of wayward birds from the reintroduced Eastern Migratory Population, but the Sandhill Crane remains the primary and prevalent crane species in the state.