Sandhill Cranes' Annual Migration to the Platte River Valley

The earliest hints of spring are in the air, and more than half a million sandhill cranes are on the taking to the skies. The large birds with a bright red cap of feathers on their heads, bright white throats, and a drooping “bustle” of feathers will come soaring up in late February from their wintering grounds in Florida, Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico toward their breeding grounds in the northern continental U.S., Canada, and Alaska. On the way, about 80 percent of the population will take a break in the Platte River Valley in Nebraska. Between February and April, they will rest and feed before flying off to finish their journey, offering a chance to see a true spectacle of nature as the animals eat, rest—and flirt. Here’s what makes the sandhill cranes’ migration so extraordinary and where to see them. Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis or Antigone canadiensis) are the most abundant of any crane species in the world. Cranes are some of the oldest living birds, and the fossil record has shown that they have been migrating through Nebraska for at least 2.5 million years. Some records suggest they might have been passing through for nine million years, long before the Platte River Valley formed. The cranes spend their winters in the southern United States and northern Mexico near lakes or rivers. They spend their time probing for food with their bills in fields and wetlands. In addition to grains and seeds, they eat berries, tubers, insects, snails, lizards, frogs, any small mammal they can catch—and even other baby birds. When spring comes, the cranes head north. The greater sandhill crane will will end up in the Great Lakes, the intermountain West, and southern Canada. But the lesser sandhill crane goes the distance, heading all the way to the Arctic circle in northern Canada and Alaska. On their way north, both the lesser and greater sandhill cranes will stop over in the Platte River Valley, 143 miles from Omaha, Nebraska. The shallow, braided river corridor is known for its fertile, agricultural land, which serves as a vital ecological migration corridor for millions of birds. The Platte River has shallow areas and sandbars ideal for the cranes’ sleeping needs, and they roost in the shallows at night. During the day, the birds will fan out to feast on the bountiful buffet of food, especially corn left over in the fields. Before humans farmed the area cranes were thought to feast on local native tubers. But now they will eat an estimated 1,600 tons of corn at their rest stop, with each crane putting on about a pound of fat as important fuel for the rest of the journey. They will also nab any earthworms or other invertebrates that get in their way. The big birds are hard to miss. But at night, the sandhills cranes roost standing in the shallow waters of the Platte River, and can form flocks of more than 12,000 at a time. In the morning, they’ll head out to feed, usually within a few miles of the river. The peak time to see this massive migration is from mid-to-late March through the first week of April. Numerous places throughout the Platte River Valley offer guided tours, viewing platforms, and other ways to see the massive flocks. Kearney, Nebraska, offers a Crane Watch Guide with recreation areas and viewing decks listed, including the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary, the Central Platte Natural Resources District Plautz River Viewing Deck, Windmill State Recreation Area, Fort Kearny State Recreation Area and more. The Nature Conservancy also owns 4,600 acres along the Platte River that it opens to the public to see the cranes. While they’re feeding, they might also flirt, though they won’t settle down to nest and raise young until their migration is done. Sandhill cranes perform a choreographed dance, bowing with their wings spread, leaping, and tossing sticks in the air. Cranes mate for life, but for any that are still single, the Platte River Valley is a great place to meet and mingle.