Thousands of Sandhill Cranes Stage at Sherburne Refuge for Fall Migration

ZIMMERMAN (WJON News) -- The weather has been anything but fall-like recently, but it's not stopping one of the largest bird migrations in our area.

The skies are filling up with thousands of large birds

Soon, thousands of sandhill cranes will be staging at the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge to prepare.

From mid-October to early November, the prehistoric birds roost overnight in the refuge wetlands. Minnesota's largest bird then spends the daytime foraging in harvested farm fields for food.

A warm and dry fall may impact the concentration of birds this year

Friends of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge say the cranes may be more spread out and somewhat harder to find this year due to the lower water levels and the late warm weather. Visitors should still see thousands of the birds as they prepare to fly south for the winter.

The peak number of birds has exceeded 20,000 in years past and typically happens during the last week of October.

Be sure to get up early or head out before the sun sets

The best viewing times are at dawn and dusk when the sandhill cranes are leaving in the morning and returning at night.

The County Road 70 parking lot is a popular spot for viewing the migration activity. For a viewing brochure and a map, you can find one on the Friends of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge website.

Love the cranes and want to help?

The refuge is holding a fundraiser to support continued education and habitat conservation for the cranes.

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