blue crane

American  

noun

1. the great blue heron.

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Etymology

Origin of blue crane

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

Example Sentences

"I saw a blue crane sliding. It seemed stuck for a moment, and suddenly it flipped over."

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026

This delightful red wine is bright in flavor and light in body, almost airborne like the blue crane — South Africa’s endangered national bird — it is named for.

From Washington Post • Jul. 8, 2021

Proceeds benefit blue crane conservation efforts of the International Crane Foundation and the Endangered Wildlife Trust.

From Washington Post • Jul. 8, 2021

At its center, above an image of the foundering vessel, is a blue crane in flight, which represents the departing souls of the dead.

From The New Yorker • Feb. 21, 2017

Across the river on a sand bar, a big blue crane let out a loud squawk.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls