Each spring, over half a million sandhill cranes gather along Nebraska’s Platte River. The central Platte River Valley is one of North America’s most important stopover areas for migrating cranes, where they rest and feed before continuing north to breeding grounds.
The cranes arrive from wintering areas in the southern United States and Mexico. Shallow river channels provide safe nighttime roosts, while nearby fields supply waste corn and other food that helps the birds rebuild energy for migration. At peak season, enormous flocks can fill the skies and sandbars.
The Platte is sometimes confused with the Missouri River because both cross Nebraska, but the famous crane congregation is associated with the Platte. The birds also use other parts of the Central Flyway, yet the Platte Valley remains the signature spring spectacle.