Sandhill Crane

Antigone canadensis

Two everyday words come from the crane: the construction crane, for its likeness to the bird, and 'pedigree,' from the old French for 'crane's foot,' the shape the lines make on a family tree. 'Sandhill' is for the Sandhills of Nebraska.

Antigone comes from Greek myth: Linnaeus seems to have mixed up Antigone of Troy, who was turned into a stork, with Gerana, a queen who was turned into a crane. Canadensis means 'from Canada.' 'Geranium' also comes from the Greek geranos, 'crane.'