Arriving in Homer each year, roughly in time for Earth Day (April 22nd), no Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival could be complete without acknowledging these iconic birds. Kachemak Bay locals know the trumpeting call of arriving cranes means spring has come at last!
Fast Facts

Height: 3-4 feet
Weight: 6-12 pounds
Wingspan: 6-7 feet
Lifespan: 20-40 years
Look for cranes in meadows, fields and marshes. Around Kachemak Bay, they can often be seen around Beluga Slough, Mariner Park lagoon, or in your own backyard!
Audubon Conservation Status: Most populations stable or increasing, but vulnerable to loss of habitat, especially at major stopover points for migrants.
Photo right by Judy Heller
Thumbnail photo be Jennifer Fogle Smith
Sandhill Crane Poetry Corner

Want more bird poetry? Check out Audubon Alaska’s Bird Poetry Corner!