Sandhill cranes take to the skies above the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Monte Vista on March 10, 2021. The Sandhill cranes are an iconic species of the San Luis Valley. Over 20,000 cranes spend part of their spring and fall each year in this valley as they migrate towards the north. The high soaring majestic cranes are one of the oldest living species dating back over 50 million years and spanning many continents. The crane’s enormous wing span helps to lift them tens of thousands of feet into the sky. San Luis Valley residents have long celebrated cranes in art, dance and music. In honor of these graceful birds, early Spanish Explorers named the mountains surrounding the area Sierra De Las Grullas or Mountains of the Cranes. Today, the return of the crane each spring is celebrated with a festival.
Spring is arriving in the San Luis Valley on the wings of the sandhill cranes and other migratory birds like Canada geese and ducks as they migrate through Southern Colorado.
The entire valley is rich with wildlife and open land offering refuge to hundreds of bird species. Hundreds of thousands of acres have been protected in the area, including Baca National Wildlife Refuge, Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge, Alamosa Wildlife Refuge and Medano-Zapata Ranch, where 100,000 acres have been preserved. offers places to view wildlife in pristine environments while riding on horses through the ranch or the Great Sand Dunes National Park.
The high soaring sandhill cranes are one of the world’s oldest living bird species, dating back 50 million years and ranging over multiple continents.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the 38th Annual will take place virtually. The migration is at its peak right now with approximately 23,000-27,000 cranes migrating biannually through the valley. will be good for the next three to four weeks.
During their migration, cranes primarily feed on small grains such as barley and wheat, but they will also supplement their diet with roots, seeds, and small vertebrates found in wetlands.
The cranes’ enormous wingspan helps to lift them thousands of feet into the sky. At times they disappear into the clouds leading many cultures to believe cranes carry souls from Earth to heaven. Throughout the world, mystical qualities have been ascribed to them. In honor of the graceful birds, early Spanish explorers named the eastern San Juan Mountains, Sierra De Las Grullas, or Mountains of the Cranes.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Sandhill cranes land in fields to feed on March 10, 2021 in Monte Vista. (Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Ranchlands wrangler Lauren O'Toole, second from left, and head wrangler Skye Challener, right, and Ranchlands photographer Madeline Jorden, second from right, show students the plethora of birds including Canada Geese and Sandhill Cranes moving through the area during a ride on the Medano-Zapata ranch near Mosca on March 10, 2021. The group was taking part in a photography workshop at Zapata Ranch, following COVID-19 protocols, that aimed to bring people out to the ranch to witness not only the spectacular scenery and wildlife but to experience the way a working ranch runs. Zapata Ranch is an authentic working cattle and bison guest ranch owned by The Nature Conservancy, covering more than 100,000 acres and bordering the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Ranchlands' management model places the highest priority on restoring vegetative and wildlife ecologies. The ranch uses cattle as a tool to disturb the surface of the land to achieve conservation goals by recycling nutrients and improving the water cycle, mimicking the symbiotic relationship between the North American High Plains grasslands and the great bison herds of the past. The ranch also raises two thousand head of North American Bison.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Sandhill cranes take to the skies near Monte Vista on March 10, 2021. The Sandhill cranes are an iconic species of the San Luis Valley. Over 20,000 cranes spend part of their spring and fall each year in this valley as they migrate towards the north. The high soaring majestic cranes are one of the oldest living species dating back over 50 million years and spanning many continents. The craneÕs enormous wing span helps to lift them tens of thousands of feet into the sky. San Luis Valley residents have long celebrated cranes in art, dance and music. In honor of these graceful birds, early Spanish Explorers named the mountains surrounding the area Sierra De Las Grullas or Mountains of the Cranes. Today, the return of the crane each spring is celebrated with a festival.Ranchlands head wrangler Skye Challener runs with her horse Walker through Medano Creek at the base of the Great Sand Dunes during a ride near the Medano-Zapata ranch on March 10, 2021. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Sandhill cranes in front of one another in fields in Monte Vista on March 11, 2021. More than 20,000 cranes spend part of their spring and fall each year in this valley as they migrate towards the north.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Thousands of Sandhill cranes take to the skies in Monte Vista on March 10, 2021.
