Sandhill cranes at Crex Meadows. Photo: Gordon Dietzman
Like prehistoric travelers, sandhill cranes fly overhead each spring, calling out to feathered friends ahead and down below. After spending their winter in Florida (They are literal snow birds!), these giant birds return to spend the warm months in fields and wetlands throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. The cranes are not only large—5 feet tall, with wingspans nearly 7 feet—but also ancient, with fossils dating back at least 2 million years. In Anishinaabe culture, the crane clan represents wisdom and equal communication.
Ready to watch the birds return? Visit Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, or Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area near Forest Lake to see sandhill cranes by the thousands, as well as ducks and waterfowl. Find trumpeter swans year-round at the St. Croix Boom Site near Stillwater or Sucker Lake in Vadnais Heights. Or, look for bald eagles, great blue herons and osprey along the St. Croix River in late spring.
Angie Hong coordinates the East Metro Water Education Program. Find her on social media @mnnature_awesomeness.
