Click on the Pacific Flyway Sandhill Cranes image to enlarge

Pacific Flyway Sandhill Cranes

Pacific Flyway Sandhill Cranes captures a common site that can be seen in winter in California. Pacific Flyway Sandhill Cranes occurs every winter.

This photograph of Pacific Flyway Sandhill Cranes is taken at the Merced National Wildlife Refuge near Merced, California. Merced National Wildlife Refuge is part of the San Luis National Wildlife Complex. Merced National Wildlife Refuge hosts the largest wintering population of Pacific Flyway Sandhill Cranes along the Pacific Flyway. Pacific Flyway Sandhill Cranes end their migration from Alaska and Canada at this refuge and winter in the California Central Valley area. Approximately 20,000 Sandhill Cranes will make their winter home at the Merced National Wildlife Refuge.

Refuges like the Merced National Wildlife refuge are vital to the birds of the Pacific Flyway. With approximately 95% of the natural wetlands no longer available for habitat for these migratory birds, the protected Wildlife refuges provide a necessary resource. Local farmers in agreements with the refuge also provide habitat by ground preparation, seeding and irrigation of their lands.

Pacific Flyway Sandhill Cranes feel right at home in the marshes and grasslands of this area of California. Pacific Flyway Sandhill Cranes feed on the grains in the valley during the day and in the morning and evening fly off to roost for the night.

Flying off to the evening roost was when the Pacific Flyway Sandhill Cranes photograph was captured.

Cranes have a unique ability to communicate to each other through vocalizing. You can often hear them make their distinct call. The sights and sounds of Pacific Flyway Sandhill Cranes as they fly to sunset lit fields is a remarkable event to witness and photograph.

The best time to see the Pacific Flyway Sandhill Cranes at Merced National Wildlife refuge is from late October to early January. They will begin their long journey back to the arctic grounds in January.