We established the Bird of the Year contest three years ago to highlight our state’s remarkable birds and the conservation challenges many of them face. We develop our list of nominees through the input of our program staff and our chapter network. For the past several years the Sandhill Crane has been one of the nominees, but somehow hasn't won the title. Things could change this year for the large bird.

Greater Sandhill Cranes were once common breeders throughout the intermountain west, wintering primarily in the Central Valley of California. However their populations declined drastically as a result of unregulated hunting and habitat loss during settlement of the region. They became extinct as a breeder in Washington by 1941, when there were only an estimated 150-200 pairs remaining in Oregon. In California, the breeding population was reduced to fewer than five pairs by the 1940s. Fortunately, all populations of Greater Sandhill Cranes have increased since the 1940s, and in 2000 an estimated 465 pairs were breeding in California. Nonetheless, much of their historic range remains vacant and the population remains far below historic numbers.

Audubon California’s Working Lands Program has dramatically expanded its work with farmers and ranchers across California over the last five years to create and manage habitats that will protect crane populations both on their breeding and wintering grounds. Since 2008, we helped secure two conservation easements in northeastern California to protect ranches with irrigated pastures that support Greater Sandhill Cranes. As part of the Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership, Audubon has an opportunity to take specific action targeting Sandhill Crane conservation in the Valley. Working with these partners, Audubon is increasing the amount of farmland in the Central Valley that is managed specifically for Sandhill Cranes.

If you would like the Sandhill Crane to take the prize, vote now for Bird of the Year. You can vote as many times as you like until December 7.

(Photo by Matthew Paulson)