Sandhill Crane Symbolism
While in Winneconne, Wisconsin, I got some fun photos of sandhill cranes. This led me to look up the animal symbolism of sandhill cranes to see what they can teach me.
Sandhill cranes mate for life. In most cultures, cranes represent good luck, wealth, prosperity, health, longevity, vigilance and loyalty. One exception is that Hindu considers them a bad omen.
Cranes also symbolized Taoist immortals or souls that achieved enlightenment. In China, cranes relate to music and dance because of the crane’s dances.
For Native Americans cranes were noted for their trumpeting call and represented speaking ability and self-expression, eloquence, and leadership. For them, cranes represented longevity, wisdom, and immortality.
When migrating, they’ve been known to carry a stone in their mouths to help them stay awake. If the stone falls, it wakes them up. Similarly, if a crane is standing watch at night, it will stand on one leg so that if the other one drops, it wakes them up. This is why many equate cranes with vigilance.
Listen to a Sandhill Crane’s call here:
