![\"Sandhill](\"https:\/\/theinsatiabletraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/a_Sandhill-Crane-Migration-in-Nebraska-0844.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nThe Best Places to See Nebraska\u2019s Sandhill Crane Migration<\/h2>\nThe half million reasons you should land in this flyover state<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe frosty grass crunched beneath my feet as if I was stepping on a trail of potato chips as I made my way to the Platte River \u2013\u2013winding, wide, and shallow\u2013\u2013and reflecting a cloudless sky.<\/p>\n![\"Sandhill](\"https:\/\/theinsatiabletraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Sandhill-Crane-Sign-Map_CT-271-1139x800.jpg\")
Sandhill Crane Migration<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEntering the stark rectangular blind, warmth spread over me like a cashmere blanket.\u00a0 How delightful not to have to sit in the cold. The strategically placed structure was approximately 20 yards from the water\u2019s edge, running parallel to the river in an area the scientific community says is the largest roosting spot in the world.<\/p>\n
The top half of the wall facing the water was plexiglass. Toaster-sized holes with hinged closures at different heights ran its length. As soon as the stars of the show appeared, they would be filled with hungry camera lenses.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/theinsatiabletraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Sandhill-Crane-Migration-in-Nebraska-0015.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/theinsatiabletraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Sandhill-Crane-Migration-in-Nebraska-0010.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n(L) Crane Trust hide, side view | Crane Trust hide, front view<\/em><\/p>\n\n\nThe Migration<\/h2>\nEvery March, hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes migrate north from the southern United States and Mexico on their way to Alaska and Canada to breed\u2013\u2013a route called the Central Flyway. Eighty percent of the population stops in Nebraska for a few weeks to feed on waste corn to fatten up for the journey. During the day, the 3.5-foot birds scrounge for food amongst the winter stubble of dormant corn fields.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nBut at sunrise and dusk, they become a spectacle estimated to be 2.5 million years old, drawing bird lovers worldwide to watch them come and go from their nightly roost on the sandbars of the Platte River, where they are safe from predators.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"View](\"https:\/\/theinsatiabletraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Sandhill-Crane-Migration-in-Nebraska_2-9493.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nView of sandhill Cranes landing on sandbars in the Platte River from a Crane Trust hide<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/theinsatiabletraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Sandhill-Crane-Migration-in-Nebraska-0490.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nSandhill cranes in flight<\/em><\/p>\n\n\nWhere to See Sandhill Cranes in Nebraska <\/h2>\nCrane Trust<\/h2>\nI was at the Crane Trust<\/a>, a 25-minute drive from Grand Island in central Nebraska, where I flew in. Protecting and preserving approximately 10,000 acres of natural habitat in the Big Bend region of the Platte River is the non-profit\u2019s mission. A year-round visitor center with an art gallery, gift shop, youth programs, and 10 miles of nature trails provide year-round opportunities to enjoy the prairie and wetlands and, in season, a variety of guided crane viewing\/photography options<\/a>.<\/p>\nMy hosted visit was part of the trust\u2019s VIP Crane Experience <\/a>which includes sunset and sunrise blind viewing with a naturalist, buffet dinner and breakfast, and a night\u2019s stay at Rose Ranch on the trust\u2019s property. My accommodation was a cute but modest cottage (there are fancier suites, too, if you\u2019re so inclined) with four en-suite guest rooms and a common area with a kitchenette and television, perfect for families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/theinsatiabletraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Sandhill-Crane-Migration-in-Nebraska_2-9548.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nJust a few of the thousands of sandhill cranes over the Platte River in Nebraska<\/em><\/p>\n\n\nAfter a light snack the following morning, we quietly slipped into the hides a half hour before dawn so as not to frighten the cranes. We sat silently, phones off, or the light might trigger an exodus. We sat, staring at a wall of black, counting the seconds until sunrise when the action would begin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As the light rose, so did the sounds of the cranes\u2013\u2013a few scattered noises, then a cacophony of calls. The morning show was the same as the night before but in reverse, with a fascinating hour or so of early morning antics. The cranes, who mate for life, are known for elaborate bonding rituals, often described as dancing.\u00a0While they take place at night as well, the morning is the best time to see them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/theinsatiabletraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Sandhill-Crane-Migration-in-Nebraska_2-9567.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nView of the Platte River and sandhill cranes in flight from a Crane Trust hide <\/em><\/p>\n\n\nThere\u2019s a lot of preening and loitering with bursts of wack-a-mole action, making it hard to photograph but a lot of fun. I never knew which cranes would dance when forcing me to constantly scan the mass of feathers. Like popcorn in a hot skillet, they hopped, stretched their wings, bowed, spun, and tip-toed. Throwing sticks in the air was a particularly popular move. Apparently, cranes find it very endearing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rowe Sanctuary\u00a0<\/h2>\n
The frosty grass crunched beneath my feet as if I was stepping on a trail of potato chips as I made my way to the Platte River \u2013\u2013winding, wide, and shallow\u2013\u2013and reflecting a cloudless sky.<\/p>\n Entering the stark rectangular blind, warmth spread over me like a cashmere blanket.\u00a0 How delightful not to have to sit in the cold. The strategically placed structure was approximately 20 yards from the water\u2019s edge, running parallel to the river in an area the scientific community says is the largest roosting spot in the world.<\/p>\n The top half of the wall facing the water was plexiglass. Toaster-sized holes with hinged closures at different heights ran its length. As soon as the stars of the show appeared, they would be filled with hungry camera lenses.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n (L) Crane Trust hide, side view | Crane Trust hide, front view<\/em><\/p>\n Every March, hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes migrate north from the southern United States and Mexico on their way to Alaska and Canada to breed\u2013\u2013a route called the Central Flyway. Eighty percent of the population stops in Nebraska for a few weeks to feed on waste corn to fatten up for the journey. During the day, the 3.5-foot birds scrounge for food amongst the winter stubble of dormant corn fields.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But at sunrise and dusk, they become a spectacle estimated to be 2.5 million years old, drawing bird lovers worldwide to watch them come and go from their nightly roost on the sandbars of the Platte River, where they are safe from predators.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n View of sandhill Cranes landing on sandbars in the Platte River from a Crane Trust hide<\/em><\/p>\n Sandhill cranes in flight<\/em><\/p>\n I was at the Crane Trust<\/a>, a 25-minute drive from Grand Island in central Nebraska, where I flew in. Protecting and preserving approximately 10,000 acres of natural habitat in the Big Bend region of the Platte River is the non-profit\u2019s mission. A year-round visitor center with an art gallery, gift shop, youth programs, and 10 miles of nature trails provide year-round opportunities to enjoy the prairie and wetlands and, in season, a variety of guided crane viewing\/photography options<\/a>.<\/p>\n My hosted visit was part of the trust\u2019s VIP Crane Experience <\/a>which includes sunset and sunrise blind viewing with a naturalist, buffet dinner and breakfast, and a night\u2019s stay at Rose Ranch on the trust\u2019s property. My accommodation was a cute but modest cottage (there are fancier suites, too, if you\u2019re so inclined) with four en-suite guest rooms and a common area with a kitchenette and television, perfect for families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Just a few of the thousands of sandhill cranes over the Platte River in Nebraska<\/em><\/p>\n After a light snack the following morning, we quietly slipped into the hides a half hour before dawn so as not to frighten the cranes. We sat silently, phones off, or the light might trigger an exodus. We sat, staring at a wall of black, counting the seconds until sunrise when the action would begin.\u00a0<\/p>\n As the light rose, so did the sounds of the cranes\u2013\u2013a few scattered noises, then a cacophony of calls. The morning show was the same as the night before but in reverse, with a fascinating hour or so of early morning antics. The cranes, who mate for life, are known for elaborate bonding rituals, often described as dancing.\u00a0While they take place at night as well, the morning is the best time to see them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n View of the Platte River and sandhill cranes in flight from a Crane Trust hide <\/em><\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot of preening and loitering with bursts of wack-a-mole action, making it hard to photograph but a lot of fun. I never knew which cranes would dance when forcing me to constantly scan the mass of feathers. Like popcorn in a hot skillet, they hopped, stretched their wings, bowed, spun, and tip-toed. Throwing sticks in the air was a particularly popular move. Apparently, cranes find it very endearing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nThe Migration<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nWhere to See Sandhill Cranes in Nebraska <\/h2>\n
Crane Trust<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nRowe Sanctuary\u00a0<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/theinsatiabletraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/discovery-station-rowe-sanctuary-2048x1536-1-1067x800.jpeg\")