'Makes this place very special': Thousands of cranes travel through Indiana
The lyrical trill of sandhill cranes awakens the day at Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area which sits two hours northwest of Indianapolis in Medaryville, Indiana.
Property Manager Nick Echterling, with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and four volunteers fan out for their weekly count of the migrating birds who find the nature reserve a safe haven while en route to warmer climates.
As the sun rises, Echterling sits in his truck and looks towards the sky as two cranes fly off. He notes their departure on his yellow notepad, scribbling in pencil as he continues to count the flying fowl. From their vantage point, volunteers make note of the birds they see, too.
“Surveys like this, it’s not rocket science,” Echterling says. The count may not be precise but seeing trends is the goal.
The birds, that can grow to about 4 feet in length with a wingspan of 6 feet, are grey with a red crown and white cheeks. Since the late 1970s when the count started, the eastern population of the Greater Sandhill Crane is shown to be growing.
This year's fall migration began in October with under 1,000 birds noted during a weekly count. The number increased and eventually peaked by late November when volunteers counted more than 32,000 birds.
“To see that many big birds in one area,” Echterling says, “that’s what makes this place very special.”
During the day, the birds go out and feed in the surrounding agricultural fields eating a lot of corn which is a high energy source for migration. They mostly eat grains and plant material but may also eat little frogs and insects.
The Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area includes a dedicated nature preserve. An oak savanna, a lightly forested grassland, surrounds the wetlands in the center of the property where the cranes spend the night for safety.
Migration isn't only for birds. Visitors from all over flock to Medaryville to catch a glimpse and hear the song of the sandhill crane.
As the sun sets, passionate birders scan the horizon from atop the property's observation tower. Their camaraderie and laughter are as abundant as they welcome the lullaby of approaching cranes for the night.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana sandhill crane migration brings crowds, flocks in fall
