About Raptors
Sandhill Cranes in Crisis
To report a sick or injured bird, please call our hotline at 813-205-1851
Save the Sandhills
Florida Sandhill Cranes are long-necked, long-legged, gray heron-like birds with a patch of red skin on the top of their heads. Their wingspan can reach 6`½ feet. Look for pairs or small groups of Florida Sandhill Cranes in freshwater marshes, prairies, and pastures. You will find them dining on seeds, grain, berries, insects, earthworms, mice, small birds, snakes, lizards, frogs, and crayfish. They have a unique call in the wild that sounds like a trumpet.
At two years old, Florida Sandhill Crane pairs bond. They will begin a dramatic display of courtship that includes exquisite dancing with jumps, runs, and flapping wings. The pair mates for life and will build a nest of sticks, grass, and moss where two eggs are laid. The pair incubate the eggs for 32 days. The birds are precocial meaning they are covered with down and their eyes are opened when they hatch. They are ready to be on the move within 24 hours of hatching.
There are only 4,000 – 5,000 Florida Sandhill Cranes left. This dwindling number has caused our state to designate them as Threatened, and thus, they are protected by Florida's Endangered and Threatened Species Act and the US migratory Bird Treaty Act. In November and December, 25,000 Greater Sandhill Cranes will migrate to Florida where they will spend the winter with their Florida crane relatives.
Basic Threats to Sandhill Cranes
Habitat Loss
Collisions with Cars, Powerlines, and fences
Entanglement
Golf Ball Strikes
What can you do to help the Sandhill Cranes?
Habitat Loss
Protect shallow wetlands for breeding, feeding, and sheltering.
Work with private landowners to protect the remaining sandhill crane habitat.
Work with county to purchase environmentally sensitive land.
Encourage developers to design wildlife friendly communities leaving natural wetlands intact.
The greatest threat to Sandhill Cranes is habitat loss and degradation
Final Florida Sandhill Crane Species Guidelines 2016 (myfwc.com)
Collisions with Cars, Powerlines and Fences
If cranes are hitting powerlines in the same area contact your local power company to get deflectors put on the line so the cranes, and other birds, can see them. If this happens more than three times, and your power company refuses to do anything, you can contact USFWS for assistance.
Work with County Public Works engineers to place wildlife crossing signs.
Fences are a major problem for sandhills. Their legs and necks get caught that frequently results in a life ending injury. If there is a crane in your fence, call for rescue then talk with the rehabber and have them help instruct you how to start to work carefully to get it out. Rescue can take hours. Many times, waiting for a rescue to arrive is the difference of life and death. If you remove the crane and it cannot walk away, you have already called for rescue. The longer they stay entangled in the fence the chances of them being permanently injured increases exponentially.
Report a dead or injured Sandhill Crane
Report Banded Cranes or Cranes Injured or Killed by Vehicles | FWC (myfwc.com)
Entanglement
Entanglement is the leading cause of rescue cranes. The number of birds being entangled in fishing lines has reached epic proportions. We get multiple calls each week for this issue.
Organize a neighborhood clean-up. Work with your Home-Owners Association, neighborhoods, parks, local ponds, etc. We can help you if you are in our area.
Install Monofilament disposal tubes. We can help you.
Here is a link to how they are made:
Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program | FWC (myfwc.com)
Engage community leaders, HOA's and other community groups to do a neighborhood cleanup.
Sample letter to HOA coming soon!
Florida State Law prohibits intentionally releasing balloons outside. This is punishable by fines of up to $150.00. Balloons in the environment hurt and kill wildlife.
Please pick up any kind of trash, earbuds, balloons, grommets, toys, "O" rings from sprinklers, and fishing line and dispose of it properly.
Golf Balls
We would like to think that golfers are not intentionally hitting sandhill cranes with golf balls and are impatiently playing through. However, Golf courses resemble the short grasses that attract Sandhill Cranes.
Using loud noises such as air horns, vehicle horns can deter them
Signage can be added to explain the presence of these birds.
Chasing cranes on foot can help deter them and get them to move on. This is not allowed within 400 feet of an active nest.
Here is a link to more information.
Make a donation.
Please consider making a one time donation or recurring monthly donations today! We rescue over 1,000 wild birds and animals each year. We’re all in this together!
Here are some tips and ideas for helping the rescuer successfully rescue an injured or sick Sandhill Crane.
If you see an injured crane, please do not try, and capture it yourself. In terms of bird rescue, Sandhill Cranes are for experienced rescuers.
DO NOT: Try to use a hand net, throw a cast net, sheet, or towel on it.
Do Not grab or cut ANY line wrapped around the bird's foot, wing etc. Please call for help ASAP to report the Crane, it is location, injury, and time it was observed. Please leave detailed messages on voice mail as we are busy 24/7!
If a crane crosses the street, do not beep the horn, they will stop and look around before crossing. Please be patient! Let them cross the street. It is in the middle of their habitat.
Did you know that cranes have one of the oldest fossil records on the planet? Estimation is about 10 million years!
Do not feed the cranes, it is against the law and puts the cranes in danger. Any time you entice cranes into populated areas, they get hurt or killed.
Trying to humanize or tame a crane also puts them in danger. Humanized birds that are looking for hand-outs can be very obnoxious and can hurt you. People can harm the birds by trying to get away from them and out of their yards.
Do Not throw anything at the cranes or any other wildlife for that matter. Wave your arms at them if you need them to move.
Do Not let your dog's chase the cranes as this is harassment.
Never shoot any wildlife with arrows, crossbow bolts, blow darts, nail guns it is against the law and animal cruelty.
Cranes typically fly in the morning when they go to their area and fly as night falls when they go to the roost,
In proper habitat, cranes can wander miles each day. They are walking birds. They do not normally fly across streets or around neighborhoods, Flying requires a lot of energy.
Cranes do not fly when they have baby colts until the babies are flying. This occurs about 60 days after hatch.
A crane hears bugs chewing on the roots of the grass and weeds which is why they dig into the ground. They are aerating your yard and performing free pest control! Please do not use pesticides, the insects will still be under the surface, and it is another form of poisoning the planet. Bugs are the basis for the Sandhills food chain, as they are for ours as well.
Know that cranes can live for years with broken wings, missing a foot, and broken legs that heal and sometimes even fall off. They adapt to many injuries and raise families year after year.
