Each year Sandhill Cranes move from Mexico and southern US states to points north in Canada, Alaska and Siberia. The Cranes draw attention as they migrate through their numbers, but also because of their sound!
The Sandhill Crane spring migration has been stopping along the Platte River in Nebraska for thousands of years.
During the migration nearly 80% of all Sandhill Cranes stop on the Platte River between Grand Island and Kearney (600,000+ cranes). These stops typically occur from the middle of February to the middle of April.
The Sandhill Cranes spend 3-4 weeks in the cornfields along the river building up fat reserves to provide energy for the final flight north. During the stop in Nebraska the average Crane will add two pounds to its 12 pound body.
The Cranes spend nights on the river for protection. At sunrise they leave the river as a group in search of corn fields for feeding. As sunset approaches the flocks return to the river for the night.
