With a population exceeding 1 million, sandhill cranes are the most numerous and wide-ranging of all crane species. A large proportion of the Eastern population migrate through and winter in portions of Tennessee and are considered the world’s second-largest Sandhill crane population. Tennessee has wintered an average of over 29,000 cranes over the last five years. An estimated minimum 89,000 of the species in the eastern population pass through and winter in Tennessee.
Two areas serve as primary migration and wintering areas including the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge where thousands can be seen at one time. Hop-in Refuge and surrounding lands near the Reelfoot Lake in west Tennessee attract several thousand Sandhill cranes as well. Smaller groups of cranes can be seen scattered across the Tennessee landscape.
This species was severely decimated in the east by breeding habitat loss and overhunting in the 1800s and is now making a comeback. Populations have increased over the last 60 years and more than 20,000 cranes may be found in the Hiwassee River area of southeastern Tennessee in winter. The only historical observation of Sandhill cranes during the winter in Tennessee is from an observation reported by John James Audubon in November 1820 of a large flock of cranes in the vicinity of the Shelby/Tipton County line.
Standing over 4 feet tall and a wingspan stretching more than 6 feet make the Sandhill crane one of the largest birds found in Tennessee.
In spring and fall Sandhill Cranes migrate through the state using a corridor roughly centered in Pickett and Clay Counties and running toward Bradley and Monroe counties. Wintering populations can be found at the Hiwassee Refuge in Meigs County, and Hop-in Refuge in Obion County.
Their habit of congregating near the Watchable Wildlife viewing platform at the Hiwassee Refuge from mid-October through February (sometimes into March) provides Tennesseans with one of the most spectacular wildlife watching opportunities in the state.
Here’s some previous reporting from Hellbender Press on the sandhill crane migration.