SANDHILL CRANE WATCH

Visitors to the area may want to view the annual spring migration of the Sandhill Cranes in the Grand Island area – 160 miles east of Mullen.  Eighty percent of the world’s population of Sandhill Cranes (nearly 600,000) returns to the Platte River valley, which is part of North America’s Central Flyway, for about six weeks every year. In fact, this is the only place where all sub-species of Sandhill Cranes gather and co-mingle. The very rare and endangered whooping crane also traverses this route. The central Platte River is one of the whooping crane’s principal stopover sites on its 2,400-mile migration. The area is renowned by birding enthusiasts and hosts the largest gathering of crane species in the world.

They usually begin arriving along the Platte in February and the numbers continue to climb until they peak in mid to late March. In early April most leave with a few stragglers remaining through early May. The area around the Platte River provides food and nutrients that sustain Sandhill cranes for the rest of migration and for nesting. While they are feeding and resting for about a month, their diet consists mainly of waste corn that they find in the fields after the harvest of the previous fall.  This actually is a benefit to the farmers since they eat corn that would become volunteer corn in the next year’s crop. About ten percent of their diet is made up of earthworms, snails, and insect larvae. At dusk, the cranes gather along the broad, shallow waters of the Platte to roost for the night.

There can be more than 12,000 cranes per half mile of river. When the river freezes they roost in the fields adjacent to the river.
As the cranes feed in the fields, bird watchers can expect to be treated to the dance of the cranes. Pairs engage in elaborate bowing displays with outstretched wings and leap high into the air. Although they usually mate and remain faithful for life, as partners die this area is an excellent opportunity for the cranes to find new mates due to the availability of potential partners in a small area. The behavior is believed to strengthen established bonds and help new pairs bond. 

For more information see the website:  http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/guides/migration/sandhill.asp.