The slender trunks of Poplar trees burn white against a backdrop of gold in the late afternoon sun. As the light diminishes further, a melodic trilling can be heard as Sandhill Cranes fly in graceful V's to the shallow wetlands of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge. 

 

At dawn, the cranes leave the wetlands, where they roost during the night, to scavenge the nearby fields for leftover grains such as corn, wheat, soybeans, or sorghum. Their gray, or slightly rust-colored, bodies and their distinctive red crowns blend in perfectly with the plowed-under fields of November. They are stocking up for their long migration south. 

 

Both dawn and dusk are excellent viewing times to see the 11,331 Sandhill Cranes currently at the Refuge, and important staging ground for their mass migration. Birders, both local and from the Twin Cities or further, flock to the northwest corner of the Refuge to see these birds in action. 

 

"The Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge is one of the best places in Minnesota to see Sandhill Cranes, especially while they're staging!" said Michelle Garcia, visitor Services Manager at the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge.

 

The Refuge has issued maps marked with the best areas to view the Sandhill Cranes. By day, the cranes will be in the fields to the northwest of the Refuge. To view the cranes at dawn or dusk, there are parking areas off on Co. Rd. 70 and 25th Street. Pulling off anywhere along Co. Rd. 3 north of the Refuge also provides prime viewing. 

 

While viewing the cranes, it is advised to stay in your vehicle, as not to disturb the birds. The cranes will fly away if approached. Sandhill Cranes will also divert their flight path as to not fly directly overhead of onlookers. 

 

The Refuge sustains around 40 nesting pairs yearly, a figure determined by the number of  unison calls counted in the spring. Couples may have 1-2 offspring a year, and by autumn these "colts" are ready to migrate with the thousands of cranes that congregate at the Refuge.

 

This has not always been the case, however, as explained by Garcia:

 

"Well, the coolest thing about Sandhill Cranes at our Refuge is that back in 1965, when our Refuge was established, there weren't any! Then in 1975, Refuge staff found the first brood, or family, of cranes on the Refuge and very few staging here. Fast forward 50 years and now we have 40-45 breeding pairs at our Refuge and 11,331 cranes staging here!"

"It is truly a success story of how concerned citizens can change their community and conserve land for generations to come!" Garcia continued.

 

There are several subspecies of Sandhill Cranes. The Florida, Mississippi, and Cuban Sandhill Crane subspecies do not migrate. Migratory subspecies include the greater, lesser, and the disputed Canadian Sandhill Crane. 

 

Visitors to the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge can view Greater Sandhill Cranes. These cranes are the largest of the subspecies, standing five feet tall, ranging from 10-14 lbs., and sporting an impressive six-foot wingspan. 

 

"To me, they appear almost prehistoric, especially when they do their exuberant dances- stretching their wings, pumping their heads, and leaping in to the air," observed Garcia.

 

The cranes use their long, sharp beaks to eat their spring and summer diet of amphibians, snails, insects, reptiles, and even small mammals, but they are more than happy to fill up on grains found in harvested fields before their fall migration.

 

The Sandhill Cranes are divided into populations, and Minnesota is at the boundary between the eastern population and the midcontinent population. It is believed that most of the birds in Sherburne are of the eastern population and migrate to Florida. 

 

Research is currently being conducted at the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge to track whether cranes that breed in central Minnesota migrate to Florida with the eastern population or fly to Texas and Mexico with the midcontinent population.  

 

The birds are tracked though radio telemetry, where they are outfitted with a small radio transmitter on a leg band that sends out beeps that researchers can track. 

 

Finding the dividing line between these two populations is crucial when developing hunting seasons and setting bagging limits, since only the midcontinent cranes can be hunted. 

 

The Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge is an important stop on the migration routes of many birds, including the Sandhill Cranes. Preserving this land, by supporting the Refuge, helps protect ecosystems, breeding grounds, and migration staging areas unique to Sherburne County. 

 

"The future of Sandhill Crane populations is tied to their habitat. In particular, it is important we conserve wetlands and habitats in their staging areas so large migratory flocks can prepare properly for their long journey south," concluded Garcia.