Sandhill Cranes in Ohio 2025

Ohio is lucky to have its own small population of sandhill cranes that arrive in late February to nest and breed at the marshes and wetlands of the northern part of the state. Sandhill crane is one of the oldest bird species on the planet, and even though in Ohio this bird is listed as endangered, there are more than half a million of them in North America.

Sandhill cranes mate for life. In Ohio, it's possible to observe their famous dances during courtship, as cranes pair up and get ready to arrange nests. The dance of the sandhill crane is quite unique as it includes bows, various steps, wing moves, and leaps up to several feet off the ground.

Where to see sandhill cranes in Ohio

Sandhills can be watched at a few wildlife areas in Ohio, such as Sandy Ridge Reservation of Lorain County, a wetland and wildlife preserve in North Ridgeville. Other spots include Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area near Wooster, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge by Lake Erie, Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area near Cleveland, Lake La Su An Wildlife Area, and Deer Creek Wildlife Area. The best time to spot them is during fall migration in September. At this time, many cranes pass Ohio on the way to Florida, Mexico, and Texas.

Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area

Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area is a 1,536-acre preserve in northeastern Ohio, from Blachleyville through Funk and Lake Fork. The area mostly consists of flooded meadows and bottomland hardwoods, which makes it heaven for a variety of nesting and migrant birds. In 1988, Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area was the first recorded Ohio nesting site of sandhill cranes in more than 60 years. Since then, sandhill cranes have been regularly spotted in the area. In addition to cranes, Funk Bottoms is home to 23 species of waterfowl, several species of raptors, bald eagles, and more birds.

Sandy Ridge Reservation

One of the most popular sites for birding in Northern Ohio, Sandy Ridge Reservation is a 526-acre (212 ha) wetland and wildlife preserve near the Cleveland metropolitan area. The preserve consists of marshes and mature wetland forests. This habitat attracts many waterfowl, wading birds, and shore birds. 250 bird species have been registered in Sandy Ridge Reservation. Recently it has become a nesting site for sandhill cranes. It's also home to bald eagles, herons, egrets, swans, ducks, geese, and a variety of smaller birds.

Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge

Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge spans a network of wetlands, grasslands, and forests, providing habitat and nesting grounds for a variety of migratory birds. Summer is a nesting season in the park, and you can see gorgeous cranes with their colts. In the fall, you can see more migrating birds. Large flocks of sandhill cranes are feeding in the marshes, getting ready to fly further south. Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge also hosts bald eagles, trumpeter swans, cygnets, snow geese, and rare tundra swans.