Sandhill Crane Migration

[Scott F]

The annual migration of sandhill cranes passes through my area and a local wildlife area is a popular gathering spot. In the next few weeks, as many as 30,000 will be hanging out there. This past week there were around 12,000 there when I visited. There is a viewing platform where you can observe them in the afternoons before they go their nightly roosting area. They spread out on an open field that’s probably over 100 acres. Tough to get a photo that shows a lot of them in one picture, especially when they are a couple hundred yards away. But it’s an amazing sight to see that many huge birds in one place.

[TnRiver46]

Cool! We have a a refuge they hang out at as well. It’s a crazy sound 

[gim]

I have noticed more and more of them here in MN over the years. The sound they make is like a velociraptor.

 

Just the other day I was pheasant hunting and actually flushed one out of the grass.  That was an odd place for it to be.  It made a racket when it tried to get airborne and sounded like a dinosaur.  For a second there, I thought I was in Jurassic Park.

 

There is only a very limited season on them here in MN (far northwest corner of the state nowhere near me), but I have heard from others they are pretty tasty.  "Ribeye of the sky" is a term I've heard but I'm skeptical if that's true until I try one myself.

[Darth-Baiter]

they sound awesome in flight!!

 

I hunted them in Lubbock Tx, and it was awe inspiring.  they are yummy.

[12poundbass]

They’re cool birds but there are so many of them and they always bust me in the spring time when I’m trying to chase turkey. They’ll make a huge racket and I can’t hear the gobblers responding back to me. 🤬

[Fishing_Rod]

Greetings All,

Wishing each of you well and hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. It must have been a coincidence that I just took a look this evening at the AZ Game and Fish Live Crane Cam 

 

https://www.azgfd.com/wildlife-conservation/wildlife-viewing/wildlife-live-cams/live-sandhill-crane-cam/

 

So enjoy viewing and listening. It appears there are some good numbers already here in SE AZ. Cheers!

[N Florida Mike]

I saw several of them here the other day on the side of the road
I grew up in Florida, but I don’t remember seeing any until this year. 

[fin]

They fly a few thousand feet over the lake I fish during their migration, so I’ve been hearing them for years, but I never saw one on the ground until last year when an injured one landed and hung around for a few days. Eventually it was captured and taken to an animal rescue place.

 

 

[DaubsNU1]

In the spring thousands migrate through south central Nebraska. Very cool!