Summary

Description

During spring and summer the Central Valley Population of Greater Sandhill Cranes Grus canadensis tabida occupy flooded meadows and marshes throughout the Great Basin and Cascade Mountains of southcentral and southeast Oregon, and northeast California. Malheur N.W.R., Oregon contains typical Great Basin sandhill crane habitat. From September to November Greater Sandhill Cranes migrate southwestward to the Central Valley of California. Lesser Sandhill Cranes return to Alaska in late April and early May and reach the West Coast by May 10. Nesting is usually in progress by the last week in May. This subspecies nests abundantly in portions of Alaska, but total numbers and nesting densities remain to be determined. The needs of both species are variable but both require good management to maintain population numbers.