Flight of Four Sandhill Cranes

[Bo Zarts]

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge - Texas - February 2026
©2026 Bo Zarts Studio

[LoisB]

1. What a beautiful photograph. Thank you.

[Sogo]

2. On their way to Nebraska?

https://visitnebraska.com/sandhill-crane-migration

[Klondike Kat]

4. They nest in central Minnesota, too

Might be a bit early for them here, though.

[WestMichRad]

8. It's a long flight

The trip to Minnesota takes a while at their speed.

Sandhills cranes have been here in southern Michigan for a few weeks already.

[KT2000]

3. Wow!

Just Wow!!

[ybbor]

5. Was lucky enough to catch their migration a couple years ago

Driving to Colorado for spring break, and in the middle of Nebraska we came upon hundreds of thousands of them in the sky, and on the ground. Had no idea that would happen. They were like starlings in swarms in the sky. My family and I were in awe. We then came upon the “ Welcome to Kearney, Home of the Sandhill Crane” sign. We were among them for well over an hour on I-80. Incredible!!

[mjvpi]

7. Moses Lake Washington. We have witnessed it a couple of times.

Every evening they spiral into the sky. Thousands of them. Then if you realize that there are layer upon layer of this same thing happening. They are supposed to be a close evolutionary relative of dinosaurs. Thanks for posting

[ybbor]

9. I compared them to pterodactyls to my friends

They are so prehistoric looking. They spend time in Michigan, and not very far from us, maybe 10 miles, they gather annually and draw a crowd of birders to witness. Last year it was windy and cold when we drove through the plains, so they were primarily on the ground. Still thousands of them, but only a few airborne. What a special surprise the first time!

[Probatim]

6. I love Sandhill Cranes and got to see several this weekend while in NW PA.

My first experience with them was probably 20 years ago while visiting a park near Flint, MI. I was a less unexperienced birder than I am now and while I didn't immediately see them, I heard them calling from nearby.

My lizard brain identified them as the velociraptors from Jurassic Park and the urge to run like hell to the car seemed strange at the time. It took a few moments of scanning through the trees to find a pair feeding. I ended up seeing quite a few that day, including a few colts.

My brother had a similar incident in Florida around the same time. He was unloading his work van at a job site, heard the velociraptors, went around the passenger side to see what was going on - and the damn bird was at the passenger side door. He joked that he was glad he was traveling and had a spare pair of underwear in his travel bag. Not what he expected.