JACKSON COUNTY — The wildlife population has grown greatly in the Jackson County area in the past few weeks with majestic sandhill cranes visiting the fields for bird lovers and wildlife photographers to enjoy.
Sandhill cranes are migratory birds traveling from the northern parts of the United States and Canada that travel south and have made their way to Jackson County to rest and refuel while they migrate, said Donna Stanley refuge ranger.
The birds stand about 4 feet tall and are grey with a rusty shade to their feathers, they also have long legs to support the marshy habitats in which they tend to reside.
“They are wonderful birds,” said Stanley. She added there are thousands of cranes in the eastern population, not all of them will travel south, and 20,000 will remain in the area for the remainder of winter.
“They generally appear here in mid to late November,” she said. “They usually leave here by the end of February, early March.”
Sandhill Cranes tend to stay in the fields that have been harvested for crops and feed on waste grain from corn and beans as well as grubs and insects.
Shallow waters also tend to be the place sandhill cranes sleep at night, as a safety precaution. If predators such as coyotes sneak up on the cranes, the splashing of water would alarm the birds to be able to escape to the sky.
The birds constantly communicate with one another as well as stay with the birds that they know from when they nest. The sandhill cranes also are known to dance with their lifelong mate, their young, as a way to relieve stress and dance to other cranes close to their territory.
“If you’re out on the refuge this time of year, you can just hear them constantly all day long,” Stanley said.
She said sandhill cranes are protected by state and federal law in Indiana though surrounding states have hunting seasons currently.
The best place to see the cranes currently is on the south side of Seymour along the farm roads as well as the south side of the roundabout on State Road 11 by Freeman Field. They also may be seen in areas along the East Fork White River west of Ewing in the central part of the county.
Stanley said if people do want to watch or enjoy the presence of the sandhill cranes, they be courteous to private properties and not go walking through fields for closer photo opportunities.
The cranes also visit the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area each fall. A weekly count is taken there and this year, the peak occurred on Dec. 3 with 20,535 birds. In 2023, the count peaked at 32,938 on Nov. 28.
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