World's Largest Sandhill Crane – Steele, North Dakota - Atlas Obscura
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World's Largest Sandhill Crane

Steele, North Dakota

The metal bird, nicknamed "Sandy," stands nearly 40 feet tall and is an homage to the birds that migrate through North Dakota every year. 

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Sandy, the world's largest sandhill crane minnemom / CC BY-ND 2.0
Sandy, the world's largest sandhill crane minnemom / CC BY-ND 2.0
Sandy, the world's largest sandhill crane Matt Reinbold / CC BY-SA 2.0
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Steele, South Dakota, is home to the world’s largest sandhill crane sculpture, known by the nickname “Sandy.” Made of steel and approximately 38.5 feet tall, the sculpture was made in the late 1990s by farmer and self-taught ironworker James Miller.

Sandhill cranes are famous for their massive gatherings along the Platte River in Nebraska, but in the spring and fall they migrate through South Dakota. Sandy stands in the Coteau Rangeland, a location that sees many migratory birds, including sandhill cranes.

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