Prehistoric bird hops into Floyd County

Sandhill cranes make local appearance

By Amie Johansen

amie@charlescitypress.com

Long necks, long legs, long beaks — sandhill cranes are a unique bird and a unique sight in Floyd County, one Rhonda Westergard was privileged to see.

“They’ve been here all spring,” Westergard said. “I’ve got pictures of three of them, but we know we’ve had more than that.”

These stoic birds also cry out an unmistakable call.

“We’ve heard them different times,” Westergard said. “Early this spring, we’ve probably heard them four different times.”

“You can hear (their call) upwards of a mile,” Pat Schlarbaum, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Diversity Technician said.

Sandhill Cranes were believed to once have been more prevalent in Iowa, however, only in the past 24 years have sightings and nesting pairs been reported. Sandhill crane populations flank Iowa.

“When we first had our nesting (reports) here in Iowa, that was a big question: are they spilling over from the Nebraska flock or are they coming from Wisconsin?” Schlarbaum said.

Through genetics testing, it was discovered the cranes in northeast Iowa are Greater Sandhill Cranes from Wisconsin and not the Lesser Sandhill Cranes — which are slightly smaller — from the Nebraska population along the Platte River.

“They have been coming, kind of spilling over from Wisconsin, since 1992,” Schlarbaum said. “They first came to Sweet Marsh in Bremer County. Since that time we’ve picked up about 28 counties in Iowa that have nesting Greater Sandhill Cranes.”

Although Bremer County shares a corner with Floyd County, sandhill cranes hadn’t ventured across this county line. According Schlarbaum, there haven’t been any reports of  sightings in Floyd County, until Westergard’s report.

“They were gone for 98 years in Iowa,” he said.

Early pioneers saw the large birds as a source of food. Then as human populations increased, sandhill habitat diminished.

“Because they are pretty big, there’s a lot of meat for early pioneers,” Schlarbaum said of their vanishing numbers. “And wetland drainage.”

Besides drained wetlands, flooded habitat was also problematic for sandhills.

“The big hassle are six inch rain events,” he said. “They get flooded in the spring, that’s probably the biggest hassle.”

According to Westergard the marsh on their property typically dries as summer rounds the corner, however, a neighboring marsh remains wet. Currently, the marsh area is still holding water, which allowed her to see at least five sandhill cranes enjoying the marsh on their property.

“They kind of fly together in groups,” Schlarbaum said. “They are quite a social bird, but they do nest in a solitary manner.”

This time of year, sandhills are beginning to pair up.

“Somebody in Floyd County might hear their unison calling,” he said. “They stand face to face and leap in the air.”

Though loud and boisterous when attracting a mate and traveling during migration, nesting is a private affair.

“When they nest they become so secretive,” Schlarbaum said. Sandhills will nest atop muskrat huts or in nests of cattails they have assembled.

Sandhills are still in the process of pairing. According to Schlarbaum, pairs will start being seen in Sweet Marsh in Bremer County and Cardinal Marsh in Howard County.

“They are unison calling now, mating up,” Schlarbaum said. “In a couple weeks, incubation.”

Westergard hopes area marsh conditions will allow the sandhills to remain in Floyd County.

“These bigger (marshland) complexes of 100 acres and more seems to be what’s kind of working for them,” Schlarbaum said. He advised utilizing Private Lands Biologist Dan Borchardt’s knowledge in maintaining natural wetland areas to help attract sandhills.

With help from Iowa residents, sandhills will continue to stand the test of time.

“They are a prehistoric bird,” Schlarbaum said. “They have survived millennia.”

Schlarbaum encourages anyone who sees sandhill cranes to report their sightings by

contacting him through email at pat.schlarbaum@dnr.iowa.gov, or by calling the Boone Wildlife Research Station at 515-432-2823.