When do cranes leave Illinois?

Most Sandhill Cranes have left Illinois by the second week of December, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until early January.

When is the best time to see cranes in Illinois?

The Sandhill Crane is reported most often in the second week of March, on about 10% of Illinois checklists.

Sandhill Crane · Antigone canadensis

When Do Cranes Arrive in Illinois?

Photo: Cathy Perkins, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Sandhill Cranes are winter birds in Illinois: the first arrive in the second week of February, they are common by mid February, peak in the second week of March (10% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of December. They are the only regular cranes in Illinois.

When to look

First arrivalsFeb 8-14the second week of February

Common byFeb 15-21mid February

PeakMar 8-14the second week of March

Most gone byDec 8-14the second week of December

Best: the second week of March. First arrivals the second week of February; most are gone by the second week of December. Peak: on about 10% of Illinois checklists.

Janrare
Febcommon
Marpeak season
Aprcommon
Maycommon
Jununcommon
Juluncommon
Auguncommon
Sepcommon
Octcommon
Novpeak season
Deccommon

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

Cranes in Illinois, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Sandhill Crane	Feb 8-14	Feb 15-21	Mar 8-14	Dec 8-14	10%

Sandhill 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 Illinois 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 Illinois

Best counties for Sandhill Crane

Share of checklists at the peak

Putnam CountyBest late October · 91 checklists that week, 3,333 in all69%
McHenry CountyBest early October · 663 checklists that week, 45,486 in all36%
Carroll CountyBest early October · 50 checklists that week, 4,152 in all28%
Boone CountyBest early March · 64 checklists that week, 3,174 in all28%
Grundy CountyBest late October · 93 checklists that week, 5,050 in all27%
Winnebago CountyBest the second week of March · 469 checklists that week, 18,333 in all27%

Common questions

When do cranes arrive in Illinois?: Sandhill Cranes are winter birds in Illinois: the first arrive in the second week of February, they are common by mid February, peak in the second week of March (10% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of December. They are the only regular cranes in Illinois.
When do cranes leave Illinois?: Most Sandhill Cranes have left Illinois by the second week of December, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until early January.
When is the best time to see cranes in Illinois?: The Sandhill Crane is reported most often in the second week of March, on about 10% of Illinois checklists.