32 | North Platte Travel Guide 2025
Sandhill Cranes Birdwatchers Flock to North Platte
Samson Ndege The North Platte Telegraph
Burke said. “Nebraska Game and Parks offers several crane viewing options at Buffalo Bill State Recreation Area. A park permit is required.” The cranes can also be viewed from the Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center at 1249 N. Homestead Road. “Cranes are unique, magical and majestic birds with their unique calls to strengthen bonds and protect territory,” Burke said. “During the day they are dancing if not eating, trying to find their forever mate,” she said, adding that cranes mate with one partner for life. Burke added the cranes roost along the North Platte River at night, looking for a wide patch that is shallow and protected from predators. “At sunrise and sunset, the North Platte River is the perfect place to view the concentrations of the cranes as they come to strategically roost for the night or take off in the morning for another day of feeding and dancing in the cornfields,” Burke added. According to Burke, sandhill cranes are concentrated around Grand Island and Kearney and the west side of North Platte. Along the Platte River
near Kearney and Grand Island, the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program has recreated habitat for the cranes. North Platte has a more natural wide and shallow water channel, which attracts the cranes, she added. “We encourage everyone to get out and see the spectacle of the cranes for the short time they will be around,” Burke said. Visitors can find information at VisitNorthPlatte.com/ SandhillCranes. The Visit North Platte website says the public blind etiquette should be observed, noting that approaching cranes will make them fly away. It advises: “Avoid loud noises or flashing lights around the cranes as it is illegal. Do not stop on highways, driveways or any other private farm road to watch wildlife.” Visitors are encouraged to use their vehicles as a viewing blind to avoid disturbing the birds. VisitNorthPlatte.com/SandhillCranes Season/Hours of Operation: Early March Through Mid-April. Admission: Free public blind available, admission charged for tours
Each year, North Platte is the temporary home for more than 300,000 Sandhill Cranes during the peak season between March and early April. The cranes spend about six weeks in the Platte River Valley on their way to their primary nesting grounds in Canada. Lisa Burke, the executive director of Visit North Platte, said there are many areas to view the cranes while they are in North Platte. Visit North Platte has maps to guide visitors on the recommended roads where they can possibly see cranes. She noted that the North Platte River is a perfect spot to view the cranes as they roost for the night and take off the following day to their feeding grounds. “There are many more crane viewing options available, including public viewing blinds from sunrise to sunset. Also there are guided tours by Dusty Trails, self-guided driving tours, and guided Prairie Chicken dancing tours,”
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