Sandhill Crane Diet

There are more sandhill cranes in the world than any other kind of crane and their range is wide. The tall gray birds with the distinctive red caps are found as far north as Alaska, Siberia and the Arctic Ocean, and as far south as Mexico and Cuba. They are omnivores and feed on vertebrates, invertebrates and many kinds of vegetation. In northern latitudes, a wider variety of foods is consumed.

  1. Diet and Habitat

    • The best habitat for the sandhill crane is fresh water wetlands. They live in marshes, bogs, shallow arctic valleys, sedge meadows, fens, open grasslands, pine flats and in farmers' fields. Some sandhill cranes are migratory, but wherever they are they can be seen in favored terrains dancing their exotic dances and foraging in water and fields.

      They probe with their long, extremely sharp bills to turn up tubers, grains, frogs, grubs, mice, snakes and small reptiles. They feast on insects, worms, rodents, seeds, berries and aquatic plants.

      Their bills and feet are important eating implements. A crane's bill is very sharp and sturdy and is useful when probing frozen soil. The edges of the bill are serrated to grasp slippery food like worms and snakes. The feet and legs work in conjunction with the beak. Their claws are very sharp and can be used for scratching in dirt to find food.

      Flightless sandhill crane chicks stick to a diet of protein-packed insects in the early stages of their rapid growth. Rumors that sandhill cranes eat their least-fit young are untrue. They do, however, eat the young of other species, especially when raising their own offspring.

      Large flocks of migrating cranes such as those that gather in Midwest fields enroute to summer and winter feeding grounds can wreak havoc on crops and cost farmers money. To prevent the damage by cranes, Midwest farmers plant corn that has deterrent properties. The migratory staging areas in Nebraska and Texas show different eating habits among birds congregating there during migration. The birds in Nebraska eat mostly grain they forage from farm fields, but the birds in Texas eat mainly native vegetation.

      Loss of habitat is a great danger to sandhill crane populations and impacts their eating habits. The shrinking of wetlands is of great concern and endangers the cranes immeasurably as both their nesting areas and food sources are reduced. Suburban sprawl and pollution of ecosystems also diminish food supplies and living space.

      Another problem for sandhill cranes is that humans feed them. Habitat destruction has forced them increasingly nearer to human settlements and people feed them, much to the cranes' detriment. The cranes can become dependent on humans and stop seeking their natural diet, thus endangering their health.