Printed in The Othello Outlook on March 17, 2005

Written by Kathy Young

“Natural History of Sandhill Cranes”

Early every spring thousands of Sandhill Cranes migrate through the Columbia Basin, stopping around Othello. Maybe you will observe them feeding in fields, celebrate their arrival at the Othello Sandhill Crane Festival or just hear them flying overhead. Regardless of how you encounter them this season, learning more about these fascinating birds can help you increase your understanding and appreciation of them.

Of the 15 species of cranes in the world Sandhill Cranes are the most abundant. The Sandhill Crane, scientifically classified as Grus canadensis, includes six subspecies. Only the Greater, Lesser and Canadian subspecies are part of the Pacific Flyway population with Lesser Sandhill Cranes constituting the majority of this population.

Lesser Sandhill Cranes are the smallest subspecies weighing on average about 6 to 7 pounds. Although they stand about 3 to 3.5 feet tall, a long neck and long legs comprises most of their height. The body plumage of Sandhill Cranes is naturally gray but sometimes becomes stained a rusty brown by iron rich mud. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of these birds is the visible red skin covering their forehead and crown.

After wintering in the Central Valley of California, the Pacific Flyway population of Sandhill Cranes migrates north, passing through Oregon and Washington in early spring. They arrive around May at their breeding grounds in southeastern Alaska. The local stopover season peeks mid March to mid April and again in late September on their return south. Of the approximately 25,000 Lesser Sandhill Cranes that migrate along the Pacific Coast, up to 90% of them stop in the Othello area, making it one of the most important migration locations.

Sandhill Cranes use a variety of habitats throughout the year. During migration they are often found in open marshes, lakes and creeks near agricultural areas. They particularly like feeding in harvested grain fields, hay fields and pastures. As omnivores, Sandhill Cranes will eat an assortment of plants, insects and small animals. In the fields around here they primarily feed by gleaning, picking up items such as grain, off the surface of the ground.

While stopped in the area Sandhill Cranes are staging, a period during spring migration when the birds rest and feed, building up fat reserves for the breeding season. At this time yearlings separate from their parents and form non-breeding flocks and mature birds establish or reunite as breeding pairs. Courtship is very important because Sandhill Cranes choose or reinforce life long mates during spring migration. Elaborate and flashy courtship dances include head bobbing, bowing and leaping accompanied by loud rattling calls. These displays help create and maintain pair bonds and can be observed in area fields.

Hopefully you now know a little bit more about these incredible birds and what they are doing when they visit our area. You can learn more about Sandhill Cranes from many bird books and websites. Check out the International Crane Foundation, Species Field Guide, available at http://www.savingcranes.org/. This page offers an extensive overview of their natural history including migration maps and sound clips of distinguishing calls. For more information specific to the stopover of Sandhill Cranes around Othello, including when and where to observe them please contact the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge Office at 488-2668.