The Sandhill cranes are on their annual migration from California’s Central Valley to Alaska. It takes a lot of energy to make this trip, and stopping here in the Columbia Basin to rest and refuel is critical to their survival. Excess disturbance can mean the difference between life and death or whether or not they nest successfully.

 

• Please be quiet—loud noises can spook the cranes.

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• Respect private property!

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• You’ll need to keep your distance, so plan on carrying binoculars or a spotting scope.

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• Don’t try to approach cranes directly on foot; it excites and confuses them. If you are on foot,

use visual obstructions, such as trees or tall vegetation, as a barrier to being seen, like a blind.

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• If you see the birds as you drive, it is better to drive very slowly than to

start and stop repeatedly. If you do stop, pull over (safely off the road) and watch

from your vehicle, it makes for a good observation blind. A sudden stop will attract attention to your vehicle. If you plan to stop, you should shut off the engine. It will make it easier to hear what the birds!

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• Don’t try to get close for photography. You’ll only end up disturbing the cranes, and

they’ll fly away before you get the shot.  Do not try to get the birds to take off for an ‘in-flight’ shot!

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• If the cranes start to act nervous, or start to walk away, you should back slowly away.

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• No dogs, please!

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• Always remember that if you scare the birds away, the next person wanting to see

them may not be able to experience the Columbia Basin Sandhill cranes.

 

TIPS FOR FINDING SANDHILL CRANES

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• Don’t forget your binoculars.

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• The Sandhill cranes are stopping here to refuel to finish their flight to Alaska.

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•  Look for them in fields that had corn.

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• The cranes feeding pattern is to leave their night roosts after the sun is up.  They then head out to feed. Around 10-10:30, they leave the feeding areas and head to their day areas. They then start

 to head back out around 4-5:00 to feed until dusk.

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• So, morning and evening, look towards the corn fields. During the day, the best place to see them is from                    the, Marsh Unit 1 Overlook; located in the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge in Othello WA. 

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• When flying, the cranes are constantly calling to each other.

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• Cranes flap their wings slowly. Canada geese flap much faster, in general, a bit over 2 beats per second.

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• In flight, Sandhill cranes are easily identified by their outstretched necks and legs, 

 

 

PLEASE be respectful when birding.