Birds gather by the thousands during sandhill crane migration. Visit central Nebraska to witness the magic of this bird hotspot.
See Sandhill Crane Migration up Close
Updated on Jan. 22, 2025
On This Page
Marvel at Sandhill Crane Migration
Every year, hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes alight on the plains of Nebraska along the Platte River. “Experiencing the spring sandhill crane migration in Nebraska should be on every bird enthusiast’s bucket list,” says Amanda Hegg, senior conservation associate at the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary near Kearney, Nebraska.
“It’s truly one of the earth’s last great migrations,” she says. Each March and April, sandhill cranes, over a million of them, make the long trek from the southern U.S. and northern Mexico to their breeding grounds in Canada, Siberia and Alaska. By the numbers, there’s no larger wildlife migration in North America, and this movement ranks among the biggest on the planet.
Why Sandhill Cranes Gather in Nebraska
Nebraska is a special spot along the way because the cranes converge on a narrow swath of the Platte River; it’s wide and shallow, perfect for overnight roosting. This area is part of the Central Flyway, one of four major migratory routes for bird movement in the U.S.
Although sandhill cranes may be seen anywhere in this broad flyway, a high percentage of them concentrate in a stretch about 75 miles wide in central Nebraska. They are lured by the Platte River habitat and the waste corn left over from the harvest in this agriculture-rich area. Individual cranes spend roughly a month in the region, gaining about a pound of fat to fuel the rest of their journey north.
This iconic migration draws visitors from near and far. Many stateside bird enthusiasts make the trek. In 2023, visitors from 49 of 50 states and travelers from 37 countries as far away as Germany and Japan were represented at Rowe Sanctuary, assembling on the bird haven agri-topia of the Cornhusker State.
Learn fascinating whooping crane facts.
Day 1: Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary
For the best experience, Amanda says birders should plan for at least a few days in the area. She suggests spending part of day one, the arrival day, observing the birds in the fields. “Generally, the birds range within 5 miles of the river,” Amanda says.
“I always recommend guests plan to observe the birds during the day, as they exhibit some really fun behaviors while foraging.” The sandhill cranes’ most famous act is their dance, often a courtship ritual that begins with a low, regal bow followed by calls and movements.
“Cranes produce an elaborate series of displays, or ‘dances,’ including bowing, arching, stick-tossing and jumping,” Amanda says. “Young cranes also dance to socialize or select a mate. Once paired, two cranes will normally remain together for life, and this bond is reinforced by dancing.”
After the field viewing, reserve a guided sunset experience at Rowe Sanctuary in one of four riverfront crane discovery centers, or blinds.
Be prepared to walk roughly half a mile from the main center, dress warmly in dark colors so as not to disturb the cranes, and plan on spending up to three hours in the blind. The evening viewing consists of watching the cranes land in the Platte River and the surrounding valley to roost for the night.
Day 2: Sunrise With Sandhill Cranes
Amanda recommends a guided sunrise tour on the second day. The morning viewing slowly builds as the cranes depart the water, sometimes in a massive cloud, for another round of field foraging.
She also suggests checking out the other big birding attraction in central Nebraska, the prairie chickens; Prairie Wind Birding Tours and Loup Valley Outfitters are both excellent choices for this type of excursion.
Day 3: Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center
Travelers should next consider heading east to the Crane Trust, in Wood River, Nebraska. This spot protects and preserves nearly 10,000 acres of the Central Platte River Valley for crane habitat.
Matt Fong, director of fundraising and outreach for the Crane Trust, says, “We have a variety of viewing opportunities for all types of visitors. From cottages and suites where guests can stay overnight, to our VIP riverfront viewing blinds staffed with Crane Trust scientists, there’s truly something for everyone.”
Additionally, there are morning and evening viewing blinds where birders can go out with a volunteer for a 90-minute viewing. “And we also offer footbridge tours where visitors can watch cranes fly overhead as they arrive in the river for their nightly roost,” Matt says. “There are lots of wonderful ways to see the inspiring migration of sandhill cranes here.”
Rowe Sanctuary and the Crane Trust are two premier options for those headed to the Midwest for this annual spring gathering.
Sandhill Crane Viewing Etiquette
For daytime viewings, proper etiquette must be followed. Follow this advice from visitkearney.com:
- Do not stop on major (paved) roadways, driveways or any other private road or gated entry.
- Do not stop abruptly if you see a flock of birds from the road. The person traveling behind you may not be a crane-watcher.
- When viewing birds from a county roadside (gravel road), please pull as far off the road as possible and use your emergency flashers. Most crane-watchers tend to drive these roads slowly, so be mindful of farm machinery and local traffic by pulling over when necessary.
- Do not attempt to approach the birds. Use your vehicle as a “blind” and stay in your car or right next to it when setting up tripods for spotting scopes or cameras.
- Do not attempt to approach birds on their roosts. One alarm call from a bird can send the entire flock into a panicked flight, using up precious energy reserves and exposing the birds to hazards such as power lines—not to mention ruining the viewing experience of other visitors.
- It is illegal—and a disturbance to other bird-watchers—to harass cranes and other birds in any manner.
- Most of the land in the Platte River valley is private property. Do not trespass!
To learn more about sandhill cranes and how to see them in Nebraska, visit rowe.audubon.org, cranetrust.org and visitkearney.org.
More Sandhill Crane Migration Hotspots
Sandhill Crane Migration Indiana: Goose Pond FWA
Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area in southern Indiana hosts a large numbers of sandhill cranes in migration each spring as well as a festival to celebrate them, Marsh Madness. Don’t worry if you miss the festival, plenty of cranes will still be around from late February through early March.
Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico
Bosque del Apache national wildlife refuge in New Mexico is well-known for its wintering population of sandhill cranes. Bird-watchers even host a great birding festival to celebrate them, Festival of the Cranes. In addition to thousands of sandhill cranes, you can also see amazing numbers of snow geese in the area.
Sources
- Nebraska Game and Parks
- National Audubon Society
- Audubon Great Plains
- Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center
- Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area
- Friends of Bosque del Apache NWR
- Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary
About the Experts
Amanda Hegg has been at Rowe Sanctuary since 2020, focusing on habitat management for cranes and other grassland birds. Amanda has a degree from the University of South Dakota; her educational coursework focused on conservation biology and sustainability.
A native of the central Platte River Valley, Matt Fong works as the director of fundraising and outreach for the Crane Trust. He has an MBA degree from the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
