March 2026 • Nebraskaland 35
from southeastern Montana to New
Mexico, flew through the Nebraska
Panhandle. It later shifted to wintering
grounds in Texas. Kanz is interested
to see whether it will return to the
central Platte or follow other cranes to
spring staging areas along the North
Platte River in western Nebraska or
elsewhere. "If it doesn't come back
through central Nebraska, there would
be a lot of questions around well, why
were you here last year and what are
you doing now?"
The other four birds wintered
in Oklahoma, Texas and southern
Kansas. The one that nested in
Ontario flew all the way to the Gulf
Coast before flying back north to an
area near Wichita Falls, Texas, where
it spent the remainder of the winter.
If they haven't returned to Nebraska
by now, the tagged cranes should
be here soon. And Kanz, Brandt and
others are already working to trap
another 15 cranes to fit with the
transmitters they didn't use last year,
possibly trying some new techniques
to improve efficiency.
"I'm hoping we have some more luck
this spring," Kanz said.
N
Behind-the-scenes access to the Crane Trust's sandhill
crane tracking project is one of several benefits that
come with membership to the organization.
Basic membership also includes access to the guided
virtual crane viewing tours during spring migration,
year-round access to the Trust's livestream camera on
the Platte River and other exclusive online content, as
well as advanced priority booking for riverfront viewing
blinds and day tours.
Membership proceeds help support educational
programs, research and land management.
For more information, visit cranetrust.org.
The Crane Trust
Cranes dance on their roost on the Platte River.
Cranes drop into their roost on the Platte River at sunset in Hall County.
