The annual migration of sandhill cranes to Nebraska’s central Platte River Valley has begun. Greg Wagner with Nebraska Game and Parks says a few thousand birds have already arrived, but the best is yet to come.
“We will start seeing viewable numbers around the first week of March and then numbers will peak in mid to late March. The best time to go out and see all the sandhill cranes is around St. Patrick’s day or shortly thereafter,” Wagner says.
He says more than a half million cranes will stop in Nebraska on their way to breeding grounds in Canada, Alaska and Siberia. Wagner says people from all 50 states and several foreign countries will flock to Nebraska each year to see the birds and they will be spending plenty of money while they are here.
“Their money is turning over in the Grand Island, Kearney and other central Nebraska economies repeatedly.” Millions of dollars will be spent on everything from food to lodging to souvenirs.
(Photo: Nebraska Game and Parks )