Written by Maleah Holder

As the sun peaks over the horizon, lighting the waters of Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, thousands of trumpeting birds flock to the sky. Standing at just over three feet tall, the loud Sandhill cranes were a species once locally extinct east of the Mississippi River before making a victorious comeback.

These unique red-headed cranes take up residence at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Birchwood, Tennessee during the months of November through February for winter migration to feast on corn, wheat, and legumes planted by rangers along the river. 

The Sandhill cranes, though far from the only species to winter at the refuge, make up the majority of the avian population that roost along the waters of the Hiwassee River and have steadily grown in number in the nearly thirty years they have migrated there. 

Their unique appearance and success story have inspired a tight knit community. Locals from surrounding counties and an even larger population of photographers, birdwatchers, and storytellers alike are drawn in from across the nation for a chance to watch the cranes perform their sunrise spectacle. 

Besides their looks, historians and environmentalists take a keen interest in them as well due to an impressive history of resilience as a living fossil. The fossil record suggests that the species is approximately 2.5 million years old. Their history, deep rooted presence in Cherokee folklore as a symbol of hope, and the thrill of sighting them or one of their endangered subspecies, keeps people coming back year after year to visit the Hiwassee refuge, despite its location being in a very rural area. 

The refuge itself, located just down the road from the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park, hosts an imposing 6,000-acre property. The area includes a large portion of the Hiwassee river that the birds roost on in addition to well-eaten corn and wheat fields. 

At an average of 3+ feet with a stripe of bright red atop their heads, they’re an easy-to-spot subject for both seasoned and beginner wildlife photographers. Not long ago, they were a much rarer sight similar to their extremely endangered subspecies the whooping crane.  Numbers that were once worryingly low due to over-hunting and wetland habitat destruction now have skyrocketed to a population of thousands of Sandhill cranes that flock to the site, making a stunning view for those who catch them in action particularly during sunrise. 

According to Jason Jackson, area manager of the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, “You can’t hunt on the refuge, the refuge is a safe place for the birds to make sure that a whooping crane isn’t killed, and you can’t hunt after three in the afternoon, you know to make sure they aren’t killed flying to their roost which is a good thing.”

These are just a few of the numerous regulations in place to ensure that the rarer subspecies of these magnificent cranes are not harmed any further. Others include a kill limit and required special permits. Regulations such as these ensure that the Sandhill cranes are not over hunted back to their previously low numbers, but rather continue to grow in population across the United States.

Though an exact count on the birds is near impossible, Jackson estimates approximately 100,000 Sandhill cranes populated the refuge this year alone at the peak of migration. Many have moved on as their wintering ended with February, yet the birds are still a common sight along the river that draw in both locals and tourists, whether they enjoy anything from watching the birds to hunting them. 

Their popularity among the community has contributed to much of their recovery in numbers as well. Refugees throughout the United States ensure that all activities surrounding the area are restricted to protect them while still permitting recreation during most of their wintering. Rangers and game wardens alike such as those associated with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) enforce strict rules and permits regarding hunting of the birds and where on the property people can boat and fish. The rangers also act as caretakers when planting corn and wheat for the birds to feast on as the cranes are one of the biggest contributors to local crop consumption, much to the surrounding farmers’ dismay. 

The hubbub surrounding the Sandhill cranes have created another unexpected uptick in tourism that revolves around the three day festival celebrating the cranes over a weekend in mid-January. The festival offers family friendly activities for those who do not otherwise hunt, birdwatch or photograph, getting younger generations involved in conservation and nature. Conservation has been the key to restoring Sandhill crane numbers, and will hopefully lead to the same recovery in their subspecies. 

Storytellers such as Brian “Fox” Ellis of the Illinois Audubon Society who perform for the younger audience draw in crowds that bring awareness to the inspiring recovery of a beautiful species once at risk of endangerment and the future hope for other avian species.

“I do think cranes are a wonderful symbol of hope…you know we have made a lot of mistakes over the years but if we can learn from our mistakes, and I think more importantly, learn from our successes,” Ellis said. “What have we done well with the whooping crane? What have we done well to restore habitat so that Sandhill crane numbers are booming? Habitat is the key word.”

Sandhill cranes represent hope, and their newfound popularity gives just that to the subspecies that are critically endangered. The Whooping crane, Asian crane, Mississippi Sandhill and Cuban Sandhill are all critically endangered in the wild. Refuges around the world such as Hiwassee support open habitat that draw these rare cranes in and gives them a greater chance at recovery with no permission to hunt them due to their drastically low numbers.

Two of these endangered cranes have also previously been sighted at the Hiwassee Refuge. Among the thousands of red-streaked heads, crowds of lucky photographers and bird watchers had the pleasure of sighting a Whooping crane and an Asian crane in previous years. Closely watched and protected by staff, the cranes enjoy their carefully maintained fields before flying off again and leaving the crane community craving more.

Sandhill cranes have become a welcomed omen of luck and hope not only to Cherokee culture, but to all who participate in the community founded around them. Drawing in crowds as they trumpet through the morning sky, Sandhill cranes provide an inspiration to all who watch from below.

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Crane Tales

Written by Alexis McMurtry

Sandhill cranes are ancient representations of growth, happiness, longevity, and ingenuity. Their trademark red stripe is a symbol for many through the centuries, and for others, it’s a shooting target. 

These creatures can be found locally at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, where thousands of these large birds lay for their wintering months. However, despite 6,000 acres of land, the cranes still tend to make their way onto neighboring farms. 

Jamie Hickman, a farmer of 40 years with several 100 acre farms in his name, is one of the many people who see the cranes without ever having to step foot on the refuge.

“[The cranes are] extremely damaging to crops. In the years past, I’ve had as much as 80% of crops in particular fields destroyed by them,” said Hickman. “In the spring, in this one particular 12 acre field, we had wheat in it. When we went to mow and bale it, the field made like five or six bales of hay, when it should have made 60 bales.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wildlife Services, a flock of 100 cranes foraging in a cultivated cornfield can consume over 240,000 kernels, or 100% of approximately 8 acres in three days. That damage is typically spread across fields, rather than in one specific location. 

Hickman has experience with physically running the birds off of the fields by scaring them with his truck, but since hunting of the cranes has been allowed, he finds himself dealing with less and less damage to his farms.

“Since they’ve allowed huntin’, there has been a decline in the regularity of them coming [onto the farm]. I’m not about killing all of ‘em, but I want to regulate the damage they do.” Hickman said. 

The Greater Sandhills, known as “ribeyes of the sky”, were once hunted to extinction east of the Mississippi but have since grown to almost 90,000 in Tennessee alone. The hunting of them is heavily regulated to avoid over-hunting and accidental shootings of the endangered Whooping crane. 

“My grandmother used to say, ‘boy, it takes a lot of different kinds to make the world go round.’ And that’s how I view the cranes,” said Hickman. “I don’t like ‘em, but I guess they got their purpose in this world.”

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