Sandhill Crane Migration

Get ready for the Sandhill Cranes

Every Spring from March to early April over 500,000 Sandhill Cranes visit the Platte River Valley to rest before resuming their migration north. The Kearney area has many excellent resources for viewing these birds, and learning about them.

Sandhill Cranes are some of the oldest existing birds on our planet, and Midwest Nebraska has gone to great lengths to preserve habitat for their continued existence. We’ve listed several places where you can view these birds, and sites with information about the birds and events. The sites also give you ideas and teaches proper etiquette when you go out to see them.

Places to view them:

Rowe Sanctuary and Iain Nicholson Audubon Center
Fort Kearney State Recreation Area
Central Platte Natural Resources District has two locations with viewing decks
on the Platte River. These are;
1.5 miles south of I-80 exit 285 (Gibbon) – Richard Plautz Crane Viewing Site
2.0 miles south of I-80 exit 305 (Alda)  –  Alda Crane Viewing Site

There are also several roadside turnouts as listed on the nebraska flyway website

http://www.nebraskaflyway.com/
http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/nebland/articles/wildlife/cranes.asp
http://rowe.audubon.org/