We’ve been hearing Sandhill Cranes flying over the park!

• Staff have heard and seen them riding the thermals and heading north.
• Sometimes they fly so high that they become only small dots, making them difficult to see.
• Many birders use their distinctive call to know when Sandhill cranes are flying overhead.
• These large birds, ranging from 2.5 feet to 4 feet tall, mate for life.
• Sandhill Cranes spent the summer in their breeding grounds in the upper U.S. or Canada although some pairs breed and nest locally.
• They usually nest in open wetlands surrounded by trees or shrubs but some pairs nest on dry ground.
• Mated pairs create a mound of dried vegetation for their nest then the female lays 1-3 eggs, which take about a month to hatch.
• For naturalists, their calls herald the change of seasons in the spring and fall!

  To learn more about Sandhill Cranes click here.