Sandhill Cranes return to Nebraska

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - Each year, thousands of visitors flock to Greater Nebraska to view the majestic return of the Sandhill Crane.

The sights and sounds are familiar to residents of the region, but the opportunity for proper viewing is often missed by locals.

“Seeing Cranes flying over and going out and actually watching them, especially when they are out on the water and they leave in big waves and you have the roar of thousands and thousands of them all taking off or coming in to land is a real different deal than just seeing them,” said Dusty Barner, a Lincoln County tour guide.

For several years, Barner has served as a birding tour guide. Barner also provides in-depth details on the actions of the majestic feathered friend.

“We share a lot of information about the crane dance, and what it is that they are doing when they are dancing when they are fighting what the males and females look like and what the courtship looks like,” Barner said. “It all fits into a different perspective when you start knowing what you are looking at.”

The Sandhill cranes’ commute throughout the Goodlife has an immense economic impact as visitors spend an average of more than two days in Crane Viewing communities. The Lincoln County Historical Museum is hoping to capitalize on the increase in visitors to the region by offering special crane season hours.

“It’s an opportunity to give the people that are coming into town a chance to learn a little bit about our local history,” said Jim Griffin, director and curator of the Lincoln County Historical Museum. “Optimal crane viewing times are in the mornings and evenings, so there is a time in the afternoon that gives people a chance to take in the sights. By being open, they can come and learn a little bit about the area they are now experiencing. We aren’t as known for our cranes, our cranes don’t seem to be as flighty, so as long as you don’t bother them they are so used to being out in corn fields eating, you can drive on a dirt road and see them and be closer than most other places in the world.”

In addition to the Sandhill crane viewing opportunities, Barner offers prairie chicken tours that are a favorite of fans and tour guides alike.

“It’s amazing the different sounds and calls that they make and the dance moves and the fighting and everything that they do and that is another one of those that, if you talk to locals or folks that grew up around here, they’ll say something like ‘oh, I’ve seen prairie chickens all my life I’ve even hunted them,’” Barner said. “Well, yeah, so have I but until recently I never went out and found them at early spring and watched them at sunrise do their dance and do their mating, that is a different deal than watching a prairie chicken out in the field flyby.”

Details on tour bookings for both prairie chickens and Sandhill cranes can be found here.