Image: Visitors gather on the wooden crane observation platform at Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area at sunset during the 2023 Crane Open House. Photo by Whitney Yoerger.
Every fall, the marshes of Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area (JPFWA) come alive with one of Indiana’s most remarkable natural events. Thousands of Sandhill Cranes descend on this patchwork of marsh, field, and woodland, filling the air with their rattling calls carrying on the wind. Across several weeks each fall, this landscape turns into a vital stopover where thousands of cranes pause to rest and feed before flying south.
To stand on the crane viewing platform at dusk is to feel part of something timeless. The cranes arrive as boisterous groups, circling and calling as they settle into the shallow marsh. Their voices rise together, echoing across the fields in what has become a bucket list experience for many Hoosiers, a reminder that migration is not only survival, but celebration.
On Saturday, Nov. 22, Indiana Audubon and the Chicago Bird Alliance, in partnership with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the International Crane Foundation, will host the annual Crane Open House at JPFWA. From 2 to 6 p.m. ET, visitors can gather at the observation platform to witness this spectacle, enjoy warm drinks, and meet experts who study and protect these remarkable birds. Binoculars will be available for those who need them. Registration isn’t required, but it helps us share event updates, parking information, and other details ahead of time. A Facebook Live stream on the @indianaaudubon page will share the experience for anyone unable to attend in person.
That same morning, from 8 to 11 a.m. ET, Indiana Audubon member Katey Powell, a Northwest Indiana land steward with The Nature Conservancy, will lead a guided field trip through nearby wetlands and agricultural fields. This area not only hosts thousands of Sandhill Cranes but also offers chances to spot Whooping Cranes, Golden Eagles, and other late-season migrants. The field trip is limited to 15 participants, and advance registration is required. The cost is $5 for Indiana Audubon members and $10 for non-members. To register, go to the event listing at jpfwacranefieldtrip2025.eventbrite.com.
Once nearly gone from the Midwest, Sandhill Cranes are a conservation success story, brought back from the brink through decades of protection and habitat restoration. Their return each fall is more than migration. It is a symbol of persistence and renewal. Watching the cranes gather at JPFWA is to witness that resilience firsthand, a reminder of why places like this matter.
Tags: sandhill cranes
