Sandhill Cranes on Platte River, Nebraska. Photo by Sarah Stein, Audubon Photography Awards
nebraska in Spring: Platte river Cranes & Prairie Chickens
March 10 to 15, 2025
Whooping Crane, by Beverly Houwing, APA; Greater Prairie Chicken, by Barbara Collister, APA
Birds Georgia Host: Dottie Head, Senior Director of Operations
Local Guide: Steve Huggins, Red Hill Birding (2nd guide and van will be added for >6 participants)
Group Size: Minimum group size, 6 participants. Maximum group size of 12 participants. (can be run with a smaller group at an elevated price)
Birds Georgia Member Price: $3,598* per person
Non-member Price: $3,648* per person (includes a one-year Birds Georgia membership)
Single Supplement: +$500
*Based on double occupancy and 12 participants.
Pre-trip meeting: Date TBD
Lodging Note: Depending on group construction, single travelers may be asked to pay a single supplement if we are unable to pair you with another guest. All efforts will be made to pair individuals to avoid this expense, though it cannot be guaranteed. Impacted travelers, should they decide to cancel, will be reimbursed following the cancellation policy below.
Each year between February and April, more than half a million Sandhill Cranes gather on the Platte River in central Nebraska, staging for a journey that ends as far north as eastern Siberia. Along the Platte, having already flown some 600 miles from the American Southwest, they will gorge themselves on the abundant remains of numerous cornfields, gaining 20 percent of their body weight in anticipation of the thousands of miles still before them. But despite their frenzied feeding, these social birds—who mate for life and remain behind if their mate is sick or injured—still find time to do the thing for which cranes are most famous: dance. Join Birds Georgia and our guides from Red Hill Birding for a bucket list trip to central Nebraska in spring of 2025 to bear witness to this amazing spectacle.
Cranes will not be are only targets, though. We will search the surrounding prairies, wetlands and fields for the plethora of migrants and lingering winter residents. Some targets will include large numbers of Cackling, Greater White-fronted, Snow, and Ross’s Geese, 15+ species of waterfowl, Ferruginous Hawk, Harris’s Sparrow and much more.
After several days of watching the remarkable dances of the Sandhill Cranes and exploring the nearby prairies, we will be in for a special treat .... A Prairie Chicken lek. Few performances in the bird world are more memorable than the dawn display of Greater Prairie-Chickens at their booming ground, or lek—the traditional spot where males dance, call, and try to impress females with their vigor. We'll visit a lek on private lands and be treated to views of this amazing phenomenon as the Prairie Chickens begin practicing for mating season later in the spring.
From the dances of the cranes to the display of the prairie chickens, we will be in for a once-in-a-lifetime view of two of the most amazing mating rituals in the natural world. You don't want to miss this trip!
Local Guide: Steve Huggins, Red Hill Birding (2nd guide and van will be added for >6 participants)
Group Size: Minimum group size, 6 participants. Maximum group size of 12 participants. (can be run with a smaller group at an elevated price)
Birds Georgia Member Price: $3,598* per person
Non-member Price: $3,648* per person (includes a one-year Birds Georgia membership)
Single Supplement: +$500
*Based on double occupancy and 12 participants.
Pre-trip meeting: Date TBD
Lodging Note: Depending on group construction, single travelers may be asked to pay a single supplement if we are unable to pair you with another guest. All efforts will be made to pair individuals to avoid this expense, though it cannot be guaranteed. Impacted travelers, should they decide to cancel, will be reimbursed following the cancellation policy below.
Each year between February and April, more than half a million Sandhill Cranes gather on the Platte River in central Nebraska, staging for a journey that ends as far north as eastern Siberia. Along the Platte, having already flown some 600 miles from the American Southwest, they will gorge themselves on the abundant remains of numerous cornfields, gaining 20 percent of their body weight in anticipation of the thousands of miles still before them. But despite their frenzied feeding, these social birds—who mate for life and remain behind if their mate is sick or injured—still find time to do the thing for which cranes are most famous: dance. Join Birds Georgia and our guides from Red Hill Birding for a bucket list trip to central Nebraska in spring of 2025 to bear witness to this amazing spectacle.
Cranes will not be are only targets, though. We will search the surrounding prairies, wetlands and fields for the plethora of migrants and lingering winter residents. Some targets will include large numbers of Cackling, Greater White-fronted, Snow, and Ross’s Geese, 15+ species of waterfowl, Ferruginous Hawk, Harris’s Sparrow and much more.
After several days of watching the remarkable dances of the Sandhill Cranes and exploring the nearby prairies, we will be in for a special treat .... A Prairie Chicken lek. Few performances in the bird world are more memorable than the dawn display of Greater Prairie-Chickens at their booming ground, or lek—the traditional spot where males dance, call, and try to impress females with their vigor. We'll visit a lek on private lands and be treated to views of this amazing phenomenon as the Prairie Chickens begin practicing for mating season later in the spring.
From the dances of the cranes to the display of the prairie chickens, we will be in for a once-in-a-lifetime view of two of the most amazing mating rituals in the natural world. You don't want to miss this trip!
This trip is now full. Please join the wait list below. We will contact you if a space opens and will collect your payment at that time.
Please contact Dottie Head by email with any questions.
Please Note: Credit card processing fees are now included in the registration price.
Please Note: Credit card processing fees are now included in the registration price.
Harris Sparrows, Snow Geese, and Western Meadowlarks are some of the other species we expect to encounter on this trip. Photos courtesy or Red Hill Birding.
Trip Overview
Click on each day for more information.
Day 1: Monday, March 10 - Arrive in omaha and transfer to kearney
After gathering the group at the airport, we will depart for Platte River Valley no later than 2:30 PM to make the around 3-hour drive to Kearney, which will serve as our primary base for the tour. After dinner, we can explore the region and get our first taste of crane migration as many return to the Platte River for the evening.
Nights 1 to 4 will be spent in Kearney, Nebraska
Nights 1 to 4 will be spent in Kearney, Nebraska
Day 2 to 4: Sandhill Cranes, the Platte River, and Prairie birds
We will spend days two through four exploring along the Platte River, a hotbed of early spring migration. Our mornings and evenings in Kearney around will have us stationed to witness the departure and arrival of Sandhill Cranes, with over a half million utilizing the Platte River as a staging area before moving further north to breed. We will make multiple visits to the properties that are best situated to witness this phenomenon.
Cranes will not be are only targets, though. We will search the surrounding prairies, wetlands, and fields for the plethora of migrants and lingering winter residents. Some targets will include large numbers of Cackling, Greater White-fronted, Snow and Ross’s Geese, 15+ species of waterfowl, Ferruginous Hawk, Harris’s Sparrow and more.
One of our days here will day will be spent to the west of Kearney, in the unique sandsage prairie and juniper lined hills outside of the town of North Platte. We will search the robin flocks for overwintering Mountain Bluebird and Townsend’s Solitaire. At the confluence of the North and South Platte Rivers, we can search of Eared Grebe, Trumpeter Swan, and if spring is early, the first migrating shorebirds could be arriving, including Long-billed Dowitcher, Pectoral Sandpiper and Baird’s Sandpiper.
Nights 1 to 4 will be spent in Kearney, Nebraska
Cranes will not be are only targets, though. We will search the surrounding prairies, wetlands, and fields for the plethora of migrants and lingering winter residents. Some targets will include large numbers of Cackling, Greater White-fronted, Snow and Ross’s Geese, 15+ species of waterfowl, Ferruginous Hawk, Harris’s Sparrow and more.
One of our days here will day will be spent to the west of Kearney, in the unique sandsage prairie and juniper lined hills outside of the town of North Platte. We will search the robin flocks for overwintering Mountain Bluebird and Townsend’s Solitaire. At the confluence of the North and South Platte Rivers, we can search of Eared Grebe, Trumpeter Swan, and if spring is early, the first migrating shorebirds could be arriving, including Long-billed Dowitcher, Pectoral Sandpiper and Baird’s Sandpiper.
Nights 1 to 4 will be spent in Kearney, Nebraska
Day 5: FriDay, March 14 - Prairie Chicken lek and to Grand Island.
This morning will be a special one. We will be visiting a Greater Prairie Chicken lek on private property not far from Kearney. Visiting a grouse lek like this should be on every birder’s bucket list. We will need to leave the hotel very early to make it out to the viewing blinds before sunrise. As the sun does rise, we will watch the prairie come alive with the booming calls and dances of Greater Prairie Chickens. Males display in the early hours on display grounds called leks. They dance, call, and even fight, in hopes of impressing a female. Males won’t mate until later in the spring, so in March, it is usually just males dancing and preparing to impress. We will have to stay in the blinds until the males stop displaying, but other birds like Northern Harrier, Horned Lark, and Western Meadowlark should be around.
After our lek visit, we will return to the hotel, pack up, and make the hour drive east to Grand Island.
Night 5 will be spent in Grand Island, Nebraska
After our lek visit, we will return to the hotel, pack up, and make the hour drive east to Grand Island.
Night 5 will be spent in Grand Island, Nebraska
Day 6: Saturday, March 15 - Morning birds and transfer to Omaha.
We will have a final early morning of birding along the Platte River—one last morning with the cacophony of cranes-- before returning to Omaha. We plan to begin our journey back to Omaha in time to make early afternoon flights.)
Additional Details
Price Includes:
Price does not include:
Payment Plan:
Participants may pay in full by choosing the Birds Georgia Member or Non-Member price. For those who wish to pay in two installments, we will accept a $600 down payment at the time of registration ($650 for non-members). Payment in full will be due by December 15, 2024.. The single supplement will also be billed at this time that option is selected.
Cancellation Policy:
If notice of cancellation by the participant is received by November 8, 2024, a refund of all payments made will be given (less a $50 administrative fee and all credit card processing fees incurred by Birds Georgia). If notice of cancellation is received between November 9 and December 9, 2024, a 50% refund of the tour fee will be given unless the space(s) can be filled, in which case a full refund will be given (less a $50 administrative fee and all credit card fees). Thereafter, all deposits and payments are non-refundable unless the space(s) can be filled, in which case a full refund will be given (less a $50 administrative fee and all credit card fees). In the event of tour cancellation due to weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other unforeseen emergency situation, a refund will be given, less any non-refundable payments made to tour partners or incurred by Birds Georgia. Birds Georgia and its tour partners reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary that we think will improve the trip and/or due to local conditions, both before the trip and during. If changes are made prior to the trip, participants will be notified, but changes made to the itinerary do not change the terms of our cancellation policy. If it is necessary to change hotels or other accommodations, comparable accommodations will be substituted wherever possible.
Travel Insurance:
We do not require travel insurance. However, we highly recommend buying it, as it is relatively inexpensive and can protect you from unforeseen costs associated with missed, delayed, or canceled flights, sudden illness, medical evacuation, damaged equipment, or other unexpected issues. Note that in some circumstances, such as if you have preexisting medical conditions, travel insurance must be purchased within one to two weeks of paying the trip deposit.
- All meals and drinks with meals (excluding alcoholic beverages) from dinner on Day 1 to lunch on Day 6
- All ground transportation
- Hotel accommodations for 5 nights
- Expert local guide (two guides with more than 6 participants)
- All park entrance fees
- Bound checklist to keep track of sightings during the trip
Price does not include:
- Airfare and any accompanying baggage fees.
- If you choose to stay over in Omaha, either before or after the trip, the additional night(s) will be at your expense.
- Tips (for the local guide(s), housekeeping, etc.)
- Alcoholic or specialty beverages
- Optional activities
- Snacks
- Laundry
- Travel insurance, recommended
- Medical costs
- Souvenirs
- Other incidentals participants may wish to purchase
Payment Plan:
Participants may pay in full by choosing the Birds Georgia Member or Non-Member price. For those who wish to pay in two installments, we will accept a $600 down payment at the time of registration ($650 for non-members). Payment in full will be due by December 15, 2024.. The single supplement will also be billed at this time that option is selected.
Cancellation Policy:
If notice of cancellation by the participant is received by November 8, 2024, a refund of all payments made will be given (less a $50 administrative fee and all credit card processing fees incurred by Birds Georgia). If notice of cancellation is received between November 9 and December 9, 2024, a 50% refund of the tour fee will be given unless the space(s) can be filled, in which case a full refund will be given (less a $50 administrative fee and all credit card fees). Thereafter, all deposits and payments are non-refundable unless the space(s) can be filled, in which case a full refund will be given (less a $50 administrative fee and all credit card fees). In the event of tour cancellation due to weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other unforeseen emergency situation, a refund will be given, less any non-refundable payments made to tour partners or incurred by Birds Georgia. Birds Georgia and its tour partners reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary that we think will improve the trip and/or due to local conditions, both before the trip and during. If changes are made prior to the trip, participants will be notified, but changes made to the itinerary do not change the terms of our cancellation policy. If it is necessary to change hotels or other accommodations, comparable accommodations will be substituted wherever possible.
Travel Insurance:
We do not require travel insurance. However, we highly recommend buying it, as it is relatively inexpensive and can protect you from unforeseen costs associated with missed, delayed, or canceled flights, sudden illness, medical evacuation, damaged equipment, or other unexpected issues. Note that in some circumstances, such as if you have preexisting medical conditions, travel insurance must be purchased within one to two weeks of paying the trip deposit.
Physical difficulty:
This trip is physically easy. Much birding will be done from roads and other easily accessible places. We will always be walking at a birding pace (that is, very slowly), but we will stand a lot. These walks could last up to a few hours and total several miles by the end of the day.
Pace:
The pace of the trip is moderate. A typical day will have us up before sunrise to be in position for cranes departing and our sunset tours for cranes will have us staying out until the sun has set. When we go out for the Greater Prairie Chickens, we will have to be in the blind well before the birds begin to display, which is at sunrise. Sunrise will be around 7:00 am for this tour so this will be an early morning.
Hotels:
Accommodations are good throughout. We will be staying in standard hotels, aka Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, etc. Information on the specific hotels we will be using will be added closer to the trip dates. We will favor hotels that are convenient to our birding sites whenever possible.
Photography:
The photographic opportunities are excellent. The open nature of this region in Nebraska lends itself to photographic opportunities and there will be excellent opportunities to photograph cranes and prairie-chickens and waterfowl. Sunrise and sunset photography could be excellent, too. Although this is primarily a birding tour and we will not be making special accommodations for photographers, any photographers in the group could go home with many excellent images.
Weather:
Early spring weather in Nebraska is notoriously variable. A typical year will have highs in the upper 40s and lows in the low 30’s but a colder spring can bring lower temperatures and a warm spring can see high temperatures up into the 60s! Our morning sitting in the chicken blind will be cold, so having good layers for that morning will be important. As we are in open country, there can always a breeze and sometimes a strong one. There is always a chance for rain on this tour, so appropriate rain gear is essential.
Packing considerations:
You will generally want to pack for winter weather, even if we hope for an early spring. A warm jacket, warm waterproof boots, a warm hat and gloves will be important gear to have, as will be some warm base layers. A good sweater and rain jacket could also help if we have rainy weather or strong winds.
In terms of gear, you will want to bring the usual binoculars, field guide, hat, camera, and other gear you are accustomed to going birding with. Please bring a reusable water bottle. For coffee drinkers, a travel coffee mug is a nice to have along in the morning. There could be sunny weather, so please bring sunscreen. Biting insects will not be a concern on this tour.
eBird:
Your Red Hill Birding guide will be eBirding the entire tour. If you have an eBird account, your guide will collect your username/email address in order to share those lists and will share them when it is convenient. You are welcome to edit your lists to add/remove species, edit text, or change numbers as much as you would like, since any edits you make to your lists do not change others’ lists. And we love it when participants add photos and sound recordings to checklists!
The leader will also provide an eBird Trip Report after the tour and will add participants who have an eBird account to the report; this way, you can see your own personal trip details and those of the whole group. These trip reports are accessible to anyone who has the link, so participants who do not have eBird accounts can still view the report to see the trip list, photos, and any added text.
Tipping:
We aim to provide exceptional service, using guides that are knowledgeable, interesting, personable, and experienced. While tipping is never expected, if you feel that your guides went above and beyond, you are welcome to leave them a gratuity. Tips at restaurants are included in the cost of the tour. Birds Georgia recommends $10-$20 per day.
Travel insurance:
We do not require travel insurance for domestic trips. However, we recommend purchasing it to help protect you against the unexpected. Note that to be eligible for some benefits, travel insurance must be purchased within one to two weeks of paying the trip deposit.
Terms and Conditions:
Please review the Birds Georgia Travel Program Terms and Conditions prior to registration.
This trip is physically easy. Much birding will be done from roads and other easily accessible places. We will always be walking at a birding pace (that is, very slowly), but we will stand a lot. These walks could last up to a few hours and total several miles by the end of the day.
Pace:
The pace of the trip is moderate. A typical day will have us up before sunrise to be in position for cranes departing and our sunset tours for cranes will have us staying out until the sun has set. When we go out for the Greater Prairie Chickens, we will have to be in the blind well before the birds begin to display, which is at sunrise. Sunrise will be around 7:00 am for this tour so this will be an early morning.
Hotels:
Accommodations are good throughout. We will be staying in standard hotels, aka Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, etc. Information on the specific hotels we will be using will be added closer to the trip dates. We will favor hotels that are convenient to our birding sites whenever possible.
Photography:
The photographic opportunities are excellent. The open nature of this region in Nebraska lends itself to photographic opportunities and there will be excellent opportunities to photograph cranes and prairie-chickens and waterfowl. Sunrise and sunset photography could be excellent, too. Although this is primarily a birding tour and we will not be making special accommodations for photographers, any photographers in the group could go home with many excellent images.
Weather:
Early spring weather in Nebraska is notoriously variable. A typical year will have highs in the upper 40s and lows in the low 30’s but a colder spring can bring lower temperatures and a warm spring can see high temperatures up into the 60s! Our morning sitting in the chicken blind will be cold, so having good layers for that morning will be important. As we are in open country, there can always a breeze and sometimes a strong one. There is always a chance for rain on this tour, so appropriate rain gear is essential.
Packing considerations:
You will generally want to pack for winter weather, even if we hope for an early spring. A warm jacket, warm waterproof boots, a warm hat and gloves will be important gear to have, as will be some warm base layers. A good sweater and rain jacket could also help if we have rainy weather or strong winds.
In terms of gear, you will want to bring the usual binoculars, field guide, hat, camera, and other gear you are accustomed to going birding with. Please bring a reusable water bottle. For coffee drinkers, a travel coffee mug is a nice to have along in the morning. There could be sunny weather, so please bring sunscreen. Biting insects will not be a concern on this tour.
eBird:
Your Red Hill Birding guide will be eBirding the entire tour. If you have an eBird account, your guide will collect your username/email address in order to share those lists and will share them when it is convenient. You are welcome to edit your lists to add/remove species, edit text, or change numbers as much as you would like, since any edits you make to your lists do not change others’ lists. And we love it when participants add photos and sound recordings to checklists!
The leader will also provide an eBird Trip Report after the tour and will add participants who have an eBird account to the report; this way, you can see your own personal trip details and those of the whole group. These trip reports are accessible to anyone who has the link, so participants who do not have eBird accounts can still view the report to see the trip list, photos, and any added text.
Tipping:
We aim to provide exceptional service, using guides that are knowledgeable, interesting, personable, and experienced. While tipping is never expected, if you feel that your guides went above and beyond, you are welcome to leave them a gratuity. Tips at restaurants are included in the cost of the tour. Birds Georgia recommends $10-$20 per day.
Travel insurance:
We do not require travel insurance for domestic trips. However, we recommend purchasing it to help protect you against the unexpected. Note that to be eligible for some benefits, travel insurance must be purchased within one to two weeks of paying the trip deposit.
Terms and Conditions:
Please review the Birds Georgia Travel Program Terms and Conditions prior to registration.
Sandhill Cranes at Rowe Sanctuary. Photo by Karen Blackwood, Audubon Photography Awards.
