Sandhill Crane Sounds (Learn 3 common calls)

Sandhill Cranes can be easily found in the Northern USA and Canada. If you head out during migration time, you may even spot hundreds of these lanky crimson-capped birds flocking together to head South.

sandhill crane

Sandhill Crane CALLS:

  • Make sure to press PLAY on the audio files below. 🙂

Sound #1: Bugle Call

The most likely sound to hear from these graceful-looking birds is this crazy bugle call. Due to their long necks, their long wind pipe doesn’t fight against gravity but instead coils into their sternums creating this vibrating bugle rich call.

In this clip, the Sandhill Crane was calling while it flew from a marsh to a field farther away. Males and females will use this bugle call while on the ground or in flight.


Sound #2: Goose-like Call

Although still considered a bugle call, Sandhill Cranes also have a very goose-like sound too, like the one heard here. In this clip, a male was walking around a field and came too close to a female in the nest. The female squawked at the male and he started hunting in the field.

Along with their goose-like honks, Sandhill Cranes will also hiss, moan, and make snoring sounds.


Sound #3: Flock Communication

In this clip, there were close to a hundred Sandhill Cranes calling in twitters and purrs as they hunted in a field together. There is a good chance there were some young in the group also calling too.

As I said, if you are looking in the right spot, Sandhill Cranes will not be hard to find, but their calls are extremely unique to learn.


Have you heard the calls and sounds of a Sandhill Crane before?

If so, please let us know below!

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3 Comments

  1. We get them all the time at our lake house in Pinckney, MI. Love them.

    We’ve had one come back for a couple years that is missing a foot, likely bitten off when young by a snapping turtle.

    (Thanks for this but please…as an editor: something is either unique or not.)

  2. Hi, we live on a wetland in northern Indiana and for the second year we have had a sandhill pair out there. Last year they had a baby, too! No offspring so far-mid-May- but we’re hoping. We hear their bugle call but cannot figure out the reason. Out of nowhere they call several times then silence for hours, then they call again. But we love it!