WhenToBird

2 crane species in Alabama

When Do Cranes Arrive in Alabama?

Adult Sandhill crane
Photo: Cathy Perkins, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Sandhill Cranes and Whooping Cranes are the cranes you are most likely to see in Alabama. Sandhill Cranes are winter birds in Alabama: the first arrive in early November, they are common by mid November, peak in mid January (6.3% of checklists), and most are gone by early February.

When to look

First arrivalsNov 1-7early November
Common byNov 15-21mid November
PeakJan 15-21mid January
Most gone byFeb 1-7early February

Best: mid January. First arrivals early November; most are gone by early February. Peak: on about 6.3% of Alabama checklists.

  1. Janpeak season
  2. Febcommon
  3. Marrare
  4. Aprnot usually seen
  5. Maynot usually seen
  6. Junnot usually seen
  7. Julnot usually seen
  8. Augnot usually seen
  9. Sepnot usually seen
  10. Octrare
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Decpeak season

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Cranes in Alabama, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Sandhill CraneNov 1-7Nov 15-21Jan 15-21Feb 1-76.3%
Whooping CraneNov 15-21Nov 22-30Jan 15-21Feb 1-72.7%
0%2%4%6%8%Sandhill CraneWhooping CraneJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Sandhill Crane
  • Whooping Crane
Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Alabama that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Alabama

Best counties for Sandhill Crane

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Morgan CountyBest mid January · 354 checklists that week, 6,256 in all86%
  2. Jackson CountyBest the second week of December · 43 checklists that week, 2,292 in all42%
  3. Limestone CountyBest the second week of December · 152 checklists that week, 6,886 in all39%
  4. Cherokee CountyBest early December · 10 checklists that week, 855 in all8.0%
  5. Geneva CountyBest early December · 52 checklists that week, 3,203 in all7.4%
  6. DeKalb CountyBest early December · 11 checklists that week, 1,273 in all6.5%

Common questions

When do cranes arrive in Alabama?
Sandhill Cranes are winter birds in Alabama: the first arrive in early November, they are common by mid November, peak in mid January (6.3% of checklists), and most are gone by early February.
When do cranes leave Alabama?
Most Sandhill Cranes have left Alabama by early February, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until mid February.
When is the best time to see cranes in Alabama?
The Sandhill Crane is reported most often in mid January, on about 6.3% of Alabama checklists.
Which cranes are in Alabama?
Sandhill Crane and Whooping Crane are reported regularly; the Sandhill Crane is the most common.