The Sandhill Crane is an elegant species of crane native to North America and eastern Siberia. Each year, almost half a million Sandhill Cranes gather in Nebraska’s Sandhills region, an important stopover site on their migratory paths. The congregation of birds is such a spectacle that it became their namesake.

Sandhill cranes are very large, lanky birds. Their bodies are gray with rusty brown patches. Their necks are long and thin. Their cheeks are whiter than the rest of their bodies. They have bright orange eyes. Adults have a characteristic red crown atop their heads. They have long, probing beaks they use to forage for food in their wetland and grassland habitats.

The open fields at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge are an ideal habitat for these birds, and every fall, thousands flock to Fairbanks before beginning their migratory journey south.